British Airways launches new scheme to help Brits travel green

BRITISH Airways are giving customers the opportunity to buy carbon renewal credits in a bid to help flyers tackle their carbon emissions.

The UK's flag carrier airline is offering passengers the chance to buy carbon removal credits through their new online platform, CO₂llaborate.

While the flight operator already offsets carbon emissions from all of its flights within the UK, the scheme puts customers back in the driving seat, or cockpit.

The CO₂llaborate climate platform helps users understand and calculate their flight emissions.

Customers can use the adjustable slider to select the amount of sustainable aviation fuel vs verified carbon removals they wish to purchase, and they can be bought before, after or as passengers take to the skies.

These credits are issued by projects that remove CO₂ from the atmosphere or from the carbon cycle, and they're all recognised by scientists, governments and regulators as a vital tool to help tackle climate change.

The airline also has two other sustainable schemes including verified carbon footprints and sustainable aviation fuel.

Along with its parent company, International Airlines Group, British Airways aims to be carbon neutral by 2050.

Carrie Harris, Director of Sustainability at British Airways, said: "In 2019, when we committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we identified that a vital way to meet this goal would be by using carbon removals and we currently expect that these could contribute up to a third of our total action.

"While we continue to drive action to reduce our emissions now, including by improving operational efficiency, investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft and scaling up the availability of sustainable aviation fuel, we’re excited to be supporting research and innovation to accelerate the scale-up of carbon removals solutions.

"By choosing carbon removals projects as part of their action to address the emissions associated with flying, our customers are not only joining us on our journey to a more sustainable future, but also helping accelerate the development of the vital carbon removal industry."

A study of 2,000 adults found a third want to be more environmentally and socially conscious on their travels, but this rises to 41 per cent for 18–24-year-olds.

Research commissioned by IHG Hotels & Resorts also revealed that of all the adults polled, half care more about doing their bit for the planet while travelling today than they did 10 years ago.

And four in five feel it’s important to get to know the local community when visiting somewhere new.