Xpansiv CBL Holding Group (XCHG) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) today announced a partnership to develop the Aviation Carbon Exchange (ACE), a new and innovative way for airlines to meet their emissions-reduction commitments as outlined in the Carbon Offset Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). CORSIA is a global-offsetting scheme ratified by members of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), designed to help the aviation industry reach its goal of capping CO2 emissions at 2020 levels.
Powered by CBL Markets, an XCHG company, ACE will serve as a centralized marketplace for CORSIA eligible emission units, providing a secure, intuitive destination for airlines to access real-time data with full price transparency. In Q1 2020, CBL Markets and IATA plan to trial with airlines that want to start offsetting voluntary credits as a pilot phase. The CORSIA eligible emission units will be listed on ACE once ICAO has published those accepted under the scheme. ACE trading will be supported by the well-established IATA Settlement System and Clearing House, offering seamless and risk-free settlement to airlines, including non-IATA airlines.
“XCHG is thrilled to announce our partnership with IATA to help airlines achieve their carbon emission reduction goals,” said Rene Velasquez, Head of Global Carbon at CBL Markets. “ACE is a level playing field for all airlines, eliminating complexities by providing an efficient solution for sourcing emission units—without needing to enter into contracts with disparate parties.”
Commercial aviation is responsible for 2% of global carbon emissions. To address this, ICAO adopted a set of standards and recommended practices for implementing CORSIA, an agreement by 193 member states to cap international flight emissions. ACE is the marketplace to empower airlines to fulfil this agreement, supporting participating airlines with compliance.
“Air travel creates countless benefits for the world, but it’s essential we accelerate our work toward sustainable flight, as part of the collective fight against climate change,” said Michael Gill, Director Aviation Environment, IATA. “CORSIA is a crucial mechanism for delivering our aim of carbon-neutral growth for international air travel. But we recognize the need to build capacity and deliver solutions in order for airlines to meet CORSIA requirements.”
“We’re delighted to be working with XCHG,” Gill continued. “It will be open and accessible to everyone, whether a buyer or seller. ACE will ensure that carbon offsets are competitively priced, with the goal of lowering compliance costs and increasing confidence by ensuring that only high-quality, verified offsetting credits are available. CORSIA could generate upwards of $40B in climate financing—this exchange will play a major role in ensuring success.”
