The organisation’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) has been designed to complement mitigation measures already being pursued to cut carbon emissions.

It will initially run as a pilot phase from 2021 to 2023 before the first phase from 2024 to 2026. Participation in both stages will be voluntary before the next phase, from 2027 to 2035, which sees all states come on board.

The new agreement will see the introduction of new rules to offset CO2 emissions from international flights as well as “a comprehensive roadmap for the sustainable future of international aviation”.

ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu said: “Aviation can now claim its ‘Paris moment’.

“Air transport is not only the world’s first major industry sector to adopt a global approach to international emissions reduction, but very importantly states representing more than 83% of international flight operations have volunteered to participate in the GMBM from its earliest stages in 2021.”

ICAO Secretary General Dr Fang Liu added: “The GMBM will serve as an important new tool to complement the wide-ranging emissions reduction progress already being achieved under aviation’s basket of measures, namely through technological innovation, modernised procedures, and the ever-expanding use of sustainable alternative fuels.”