The council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted a new carbon dioxide emissions standard for aircraft, the first such design certification standard among world industry sectors, the organization announced on March 6. Approval by the 36-nation council codifies recommendations made by a committee of experts in February 2016.
The standard applies to new aircraft type designs as of 2020 and to designs already in production as of 2023. Aircraft that are already in production must meet the standard by 2028 or be sufficiently modified, ICAO said. It is contained in a new Volume III to Annex 16 of the Chicago Convention that created the United Nations aviation body.
Boeing in a statement said that it is “fully committed to meeting the new standard and will put our resources to work to ensure that our products meet the standard as well as customer requirements.” The U.S. manufacturer noted that current-production 787 and 737 Max airliners were designed to meet or exceed emissions requirements. The 777X, which Boeing expects to begin delivering in 2020, will be the world’s largest and most fuel-efficient twin-engine jet, it declared.
“We have made significant investments to improve the efficiency and environmental performance of [our] products and will continue to do so,” Boeing said. “Environmental goals are aligned with our business goals, as greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions are top priorities for our commercial customers.”
Airbus did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the European manufacturer in the past has expressed support for the new CO2 standard.
Announcing the council’s adoption, ICAO said the standard complements the carbon offsetting strategy its general assembly approved in October, called the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). “This historic accomplishment places aviation in an even better position as we look forward to a greener era of air transport development,” said ICAO Secretary General Fang Liu.
