On August 29, 2020, changes to the Canadian Aviation Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I. These changes would put in place the offsetting portion of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) in Canada. The changes would also help to make sure that Canada's regulations align with the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices. These changes build on the first set of CORSIA regulations (monitoring, reporting, and verification) that came into force in January 2019.
CORSIA is a global market-based measure that requires air operators to acquire and cancel emissions units to offset a part of their CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions from 2021 to 2035.
- An "emissions unit" is a certificate that represents a reduction or removal of greenhouse gases by a carbon sink in another sector (like energy, waste or forestry).
- A carbon sink is any reservoir that absorbs more carbon than it releases. Carbon sinks lower the concentration of carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere.
Summary
As required by the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals, a strategic environmental assessment was done to evaluate the environmental effects of implementing CORSIA in Canada. The assessment found that CORSIA supports domestic and international projects and will likely have an important positive impact on the environment.
Environmental effects
CORSIA will lead to fewer global greenhouse gas emissions by offsetting emission growth from international aviation beyond 2020 and will support the development of a sustainable biojet market. Initial estimates found that between 54 and 72 megatonnes of CO2 emissions from Canadian operators would be offset between 2021 and 2035.
Enhancement and mitigation measures
On top of carbon-neutral growth for international aviation, there are a number of other potential long-term benefits from CORSIA. For example, CORSIA is expected to provide an economic incentive for operators to reduce fuel use and switch to sustainable aviation fuels. Because these fuels have fewer air emissions, CORSIA could lead to better air quality.
Potential negative effects from the emissions units are managed by eligibility criteria, which includes assessing emissions unit programs against sustainable development criteria and requiring projects that generate emissions units to do no net harm (including hurting the environment). As such, these projects will likely have a positive impact on sustainable development, land use, water quality, wildlife habitat, wildlife populations, and species at risk.
Ties to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy
These regulatory changes are in line with Canada's Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and its goals. In particular, implementing CORSIA aligns with the goal of "Effective Action on Climate Change." Implementing CORSIA also supports Transport Canada's commitment to leading international agreements and projects on climate change, and negotiating ways to reduce emissions in the aviation sector.