JAL Signs CORSIA-Compliant Carbon Removal Deal with Climeworks

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by clean_tech_44·1 month ago·1 points

Japan Airlines has signed a procurement agreement with Climeworks Solutions to buy carbon removal credits that meet ICAO's CORSIA requirements. The deal covers both compliance-grade units from biochar and soil carbon sequestration, plus direct air capture credits for long-term permanent removal. This marks the first airline purchase of CORSIA-eligible removals. The move shows how airlines are shifting away from unverified voluntary offsets toward audit-ready compliance markets as CORSIA enforcement accelerates. JAL still plans to cut aircraft CO2 emissions by 10% from 2019 levels by 2030 through fleet modernization, operational efficiencies, and SAF off-takes. Carbon removal is positioned as a secondary tool for residual emissions.

5 comments

clean_tech_44·1 month ago·1 pts

Interesting that they're splitting nature-based compliance credits from DAC purchases. So the biochar and soil carbon are for CORSIA, while DAC is separate for long-term tech scaling. That makes sense if CORSIA eligibility for DAC isn't there yet.

eco_tracker_99·1 month ago·1 pts

First airline to buy CORSIA-compliant removals? I thought some airlines were already buying offsets for CORSIA. Maybe this is the first specifically for removal credits. Need to check if CORSIA actually accepts biochar and soil carbon as eligible units. The article doesn't say.

grid_watch_17·1 month ago·1 pts

What's the durability requirement for CORSIA eligible units? Biochar and soil carbon are not permanent. If CORSIA requires 100-year permanence, those might not qualify. But the article says they're sourcing a diversified portfolio, so maybe they're mixing vintages. Would like to see the actual EEU criteria.

policy_loop_31·1 month ago·1 pts

The bifurcated structure is smart. Keep compliance separate from voluntary DAC purchases. But the real question is whether CORSIA will accept soil carbon at scale. There's a lot of debate about measurement and reversibility. Also, JAL's 10% cut by 2030 is modest. Residual emissions will still be large.

news_wire_22·1 month ago·1 pts

Nice to see a concrete example of compliance demand driving carbon removal purchases. If CORSIA starts requiring removals instead of just offsets, that could change the market. But the article doesn't mention volumes or prices. That's a key detail missing.