Airlines are encouraging passengers to offset the emissions generated by their flights by offering programs for travelers to pay extra.
Gol, Tam and United already offer this payment option on the company's website. According to Gol, the compensation for pollution from flights from June 2021 to December 2022 was 13.100 tons of CO2, through payments made by customers and other actions. The effort is equivalent to preserving 1,8 million trees.
The calculation of these values is based on mathematical models that make it possible to accurately estimate how much pollutant is generated per flight, taking into account consumption at each stage of the trip. For this, the variable prices of the carbon credits market are also considered: normally, offsetting a ton of CO2 costs between US$ 10 and US$ 20 (approximately R$ 52 and R$ 104).
Air France-KLM allows passengers to pay for flight pollution compensation since 2021; At Gol, a function was launched on the website so that customers can pay for compensation when purchasing a ticket.
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The aviation industry faces a challenge to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. In 2019, before the pandemic, 17,4 thousand tons of CO2 were emitted in Brazil (1,25% of the country's total). In 2021, with fewer flights operating, that number dropped to 10,9 (0,71%).
To ease the situation, 115 countries signed the Corsia agreement (Scheme for Reducing the Carbon Footprint in International Aviation), which provides for mandatory measures as of 2027. Among the main strategies are the development of new technologies for aircraft, improved air traffic and airport operations, use of less polluting fuels and carbon offsets.
Some airlines already offer the option for passengers to donate money to increase the purchase of SAF fuel (sustainable aviation fuel), but which is still scarce in the market. While it is a welcome solution for airlines looking to pay off debts generated by the pandemic shutdown and recover pre-pandemic travel volume, some question whether this responsibility should not be theirs.