Money for air: how Russia is reducing the carbon footprint of civil aviation
A national coordination center for the implementation of the international CORSIA system regulating civil aviation emissions will be established in Russia. The new structure will take into account Russian air carriers and cooperate with the International Civil Aviation Organization. At the same time, Russia is developing the production of sustainable aviation fuels and a national carbon certification system. How the new center will work, why Russian aviation needs it and how much the transition to international environmental standards may cost carriers — in the Izvestia article.
Leaders in emissions
The United States remains the largest source of emissions from civil aviation in the world, accounting for more than 20% of aviation carbon dioxide. Globally, airplanes account for approximately 2.5% of all CO2 emissions. First of all, the high rate in the United States is due to the huge number of domestic flights and the scale of private aviation.
This is followed by China, where the aviation market has grown especially rapidly in recent decades. The United Kingdom occupies the third position, and London Heathrow, one of the world's largest transfer hubs, plays a significant role in this. Notable sources of emissions also include Japan, Germany and France.
As for Russia, domestic airlines currently produce about 15 million tons of CO2 per year. Before the pandemic, the figure was significantly higher: in 2019, passenger aviation emissions reached 22.96 million tons. Already in 2020, due to restrictions related to COVID-19, the volume decreased to 12.99 million tons, after which industry indicators stabilized at the current level. At the same time, Russian aviation generates less than 2% of global aviation emissions. A significant part of them is connected with domestic routes — this is due to the large territory of the country and the significant role of air transport.
International standard
CORSIA is the first global system regulating carbon dioxide emissions from civil aviation. It was developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization to limit the increase in greenhouse gas emissions from international air travel and maintain carbon-neutral industry growth. As part of the system, airlines must monitor fuel consumption and CO2 volume for each international flight. The data obtained is used to determine the amount of emissions that need to be compensated in accordance with the established rules.
If the carrier's indicator is above the acceptable level, the difference must be covered. To do this, you can purchase special carbon units related to environmental projects, or use sustainable aviation fuels with a lower carbon footprint.
At the same time, CORSIA also has economic significance: from 2027, compliance with the requirements of the system becomes mandatory for participating states and affects the ability to perform international air transportation, as well as the costs and position of airlines in foreign markets.
Steps towards reduction
Russia is developing several areas at once to reduce aviation emissions: introducing mandatory digital control, mastering the production of its own sustainable aviation fuel SAF and creating a national carbon certification system. The main incentive was the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): starting in 2027, Russian air carriers will either need to use environmentally friendly fuels or compensate for excess carbon quotas with the help of "green loans".
The current GIS "Energy Efficiency" will be used to collect reports under CORSIA, to which 32 airlines are already sending data on greenhouse gas emissions in Russia, the Ministry of Energy told Izvestia. The Ministry of Transport will be given access to this information for further use, including transmission to ICAO.
Also, one of the tasks is to provide an opportunity for Russian companies to compensate for excess emissions in Russian carbon units. It was for this purpose that the application for accreditation of the Russian register of carbon units in the CORSIA system was submitted.
In 2026, the Ministry of Economic Development carried out extensive work to update the regulatory framework of the voluntary carbon market. In particular, amendments have been made to the law on limiting greenhouse gas emissions and to four existing acts, and 10 new regulatory legal acts have been adopted.
Starting from September 1, 2026, airlines are required to take into account fuel consumption and CO2 emissions on international routes. This information is sent to the Federal Air Transport Agency and the Coordination Center, which makes it possible to create an accurate database on the carbon footprint.
Special attention is paid to domestic sustainable aviation fuel. Russian specialists have developed samples of such fuel based on vegetable esters and fatty acids. Its use can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional aviation kerosene. At the same time, the Russian Federation initiated the creation of a domestic certification system for environmentally friendly fuels.
Prospects for transition
The creation of the National CORSIA Coordination Center based on the Scientific Center of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation should help Russian airlines adapt to international environmental requirements and reduce the associated economic risks. The organization will work with the Federal Air Transport Agency, collect and verify information on emissions, calculate the obligations of carriers and interact with ICAO.
A separate area is the preservation of international routes. Since 2027, meeting the requirements of CORSIA will become mandatory for most foreign air transportation, so the national structure will be able to maintain a register of Russian airlines and centrally interact with ICAO on their participation in the system.
In addition, the center should promote the recognition of Russian carbon units at the international level. With successful accreditation of the domestic registry, airlines will be able to use Russian carbon credits to fulfill environmental obligations, without relying solely on foreign compensation instruments.
For the scientific community, the development of CORSIA creates a demand for new technologies. In particular, airlines will need sustainable aviation fuel, so Russian scientists and engineers will be able to participate in the creation of domestic technologies for its production and certification within the framework of the national project "Technological support for Bioeconomics". It is also necessary to develop methods for estimating emissions reductions throughout the fuel's life cycle, from obtaining raw materials to using them in engines.
The exact cost of establishing the National CORSIA Coordination Center has not yet been disclosed. At the same time, it is known that the main costs are related to larger—scale tasks - the development of SAF production and aircraft upgrades. By 2030, the state has allocated 350 billion rubles from the National Welfare Fund for import substitution and production of more than 600 civilian airliners with efficient engines.
At the same time, the transition of Russian airlines to an international system of compensation and reduction of carbon emissions from 2027 may increase the cost of foreign transportation, since companies will have to use ecological aviation fuel or purchase carbon units to compensate for emissions, Yulia Ovchinnikova, Associate director for corporate ratings at Expert RA agency, warned in an interview with Izvestia. But the requirement applies only to international flights, which account for about 25% of passenger traffic, so the expert does not expect a sharp increase in the cost of all flights: prices will continue to depend on demand and dynamic pricing.
In 2027, Russian airlines may need about 1 million carbon units, and at an estimated price of $70 per ton, the cost will be about $70 million. In the future, costs may increase due to an increase in demand and the cost of such units, and launching production of our own eco-friendly fuel will also require significant investments.
There is also no reason to expect a reduction in the volume of air transportation: Russian airlines are developing their route network, and many destinations are subsidized by the state, which holds back the growth in flight costs, Maxim Chirkov, associate professor at the Faculty of Public Administration at Moscow State University, said in a conversation with Izvestia. A draft federal law and three bylaws of the Ministry of Transport are being developed for the implementation of CORSIA.
The Ministry of Natural Resources forwarded Izvestia's request to the Ministry of Transport, but no response had been received at the time of publication.
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