British Airways is to enable customers to purchase carbon removal credits as another way to reduce the climate impact from their flights.
The UK carrier said that customers would be able to buy the new credits through the CO2llaborate online platform, which serves both corporate clients and individual travellers. This new sustainability tool was launched by BA last month.
The airline already allows customers to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and contribute to certified carbon offset projects.
Carbon removal credits are issued by projects that remove CO2 from the atmosphere or carbon cycle. BA passengers can now calculate their emissions and then buy the credits before or after they fly, or even from their seat while travelling.
BA admitted that the carbon removal industry was “still comparatively small in scale”, but it was recognised by governments, the United Nations and regulators as a “vital tool” to help address climate change.
“The airline is committed to supporting a variety of innovative carbon removals solutions and is considering projects that are immediately available and independently verified today, as well as more innovative technology solutions,” said the carrier in a statement.
Carrie Harris, director of sustainability at British Airways, added: “By choosing carbon removals projects as part of their action to address the emissions associated with flying, our customers are not only joining us on our journey to a more sustainable future, but also helping accelerate the development of the vital carbon removal industry.”
British Airways’ customers can now select a blend of two “recognised and independently certified” carbon removal projects with more planned to be added “over time”.
The current projects are the Blue Carbon Mangrove Project in Pakistan, which involves the reforestation and revegetation of tidal wetlands that are be able to absorb CO2.
The second is the Freres Biochar project in Oregon, a biomass power production plant which produces biochar - a charcoal-like mineral created when agricultural and wood waste is used as fuel. Biochar is able to “lock carbon away” and out of the atmosphere for hundreds of years.