Exciting news – the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has identified a new kind of low-carbon aviation fuel… ‘kerosene’. Oh wait, not so exciting after all. Turns out that good old-fashioned jet fuel will now be classified as a climate-friendly ‘alternative fuel’ so long as it’s processed in a refinery powered by renewable energy. This handy new definition of ‘clean oil’ was agreed by the ICAO thanks to pressure from the US and Saudi Arabian delegations, according to the European Federation for Transport and Environment.
The ICAO’s scheme for reducing emissions from aviation, known as CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation), was already looking shoddy. It’s supposed to set carbon reduction targets for airlines but includes major get-out clauses. Under its rules, it’s possible for airlines to expand and keep hold of the UN’s seal of approval as long as they purchase carbon offsets. Trouble is, only two per cent of UN offsetting schemes have a high likelihood of actually reducing emissions, according to the European Commission.
