Carbon offsetting is a popular way for airlines to reduce their environmental impact and appeal to eco-conscious customers. However, it also comes with some challenges, such as credibility, transparency, and customer engagement. How can you overcome these challenges and make carbon offsetting a successful part of your airline management strategy? Here are some tips to help you.
The first step to overcome carbon offsetting challenges is to choose reputable and reliable partners to work with. You want to ensure that the projects you support are verified, certified, and aligned with your values and goals. You also want to avoid any greenwashing or false claims that could damage your reputation and trust. Do your research and look for partners that have a proven track record, follow international standards, and share your vision for sustainability.
The second step to overcome carbon offsetting challenges is to communicate clearly and effectively with your stakeholders, especially your customers. You want to inform them about the benefits and impacts of carbon offsetting, how it works, and how they can participate. You also want to provide them with evidence and feedback on the results and outcomes of your offsetting efforts. Use various channels and formats, such as websites, social media, newsletters, videos, and infographics, to reach and educate your audience.
The third step to overcome carbon offsetting challenges is to offer incentives and options to your customers and employees. You want to encourage them to join and support your carbon offsetting initiatives, as well as to reduce their own emissions. You can do this by providing them with rewards, discounts, loyalty points, or recognition for choosing low-carbon flights or offsetting their travel. You can also give them options and flexibility to select the projects they want to support or the amount they want to contribute.
The fourth step to overcome carbon offsetting challenges is to innovate and improve your processes and practices. You want to continuously monitor and evaluate your carbon offsetting performance, as well as the quality and effectiveness of your partners and projects. You also want to look for new and better ways to reduce your emissions, increase your efficiency, and enhance your sustainability. You can do this by investing in research and development, adopting new technologies and solutions, and collaborating with other stakeholders.
The fifth step to overcome carbon offsetting challenges is to engage and inspire your customers, employees, and partners. You want to create a culture and a community that values and supports carbon offsetting and sustainability. You also want to share your stories and successes, as well as your challenges and learnings, with your stakeholders. You can do this by creating platforms and opportunities for dialogue, feedback, and participation, as well as by celebrating and acknowledging your achievements and contributions.
The sixth and final step to overcome carbon offsetting challenges is to lead and influence your industry and society. You want to set an example and a standard for other airlines and businesses to follow and emulate. You also want to advocate and promote carbon offsetting and sustainability as a global priority and responsibility. You can do this by joining and supporting industry associations, networks, and initiatives, as well as by engaging and influencing policy makers, regulators, and media.
Decarbonizing air travel is extremely difficult in the short-term, and offsets are largely ineffective. Those concerned are being more effective when lobbying for industry-wide regulation, and leading industry initiatives on SAF acceleration, short-haul electrification and other innovation. Offsets' current quality and verifiability challenges make them unsuitable at large scale, especially if a radiative forcing multiplier is applied to contrail emissions calculations (can be 1.5-8x emissions).