Qatar Airways has launched a voluntary carbon offset program for corporate customers, which will allow corporate and trade clients to offset their carbon emissions either before or after a flight. The airline believes this will help corporate clients to offset or reduce the carbon emissions associated with their business travel and empower them to make sustainable choices.

Companies will be able to use the scheme to work towards their sustainability and carbon neutrality goals.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said:

“Building a long-term sustainable aviation industry requires coordinated efforts, and businesses play an important role in building more environmentally friendly and more sustainable air travel. We are happy to provide an opportunity for our corporate clients to voluntarily offset the carbon footprint of corporate trips through recognized projects that help both communities and the environment and encourage them to make carbon offsetting part of their carbon management plan.”

Qatar Airways (OneWorld Livery) Boeing 777-3DZ(ER) A7-ABF
The B777-300ER remains vital to the airline's Heathrow operation. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

What does the scheme consist of?

The offset scheme has been built in partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and will use the IATA industry best practices for calculating CO2 emissions. Qatar Airways insists that the credits bought to offset these emissions will only go to projects delivering independently verified carbon reductions, as well as wider environmental and social benefits.

To begin with, offset funds will go towards a leading renewable energy project, but additional verified projects to be included in the near future. Qatar Airways does already have experience in this area.

Since 2020, the Qatar Airway’s voluntary carbon offsetting program has been contributing to the Fatanpur Wind Farm project located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The wind farm now boats 54 wind turbines which generate 108 MW, avoiding more than 200,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year.

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The launching of Qatar Airways’ voluntary corporate offset schemes comes on the back of similar schemes. In November 2020, the airline announced the official launch of its voluntary carbon offset program for passengers. That program was joined in November 2021 by Qatar Airways Cargo, which allowed for the carbon offsetting of air cargo shipments.

Qatar Airways Cargo became the first cargo carrier to join the IATA CO2NNECT platform and the first airline in the world to make a carbon transaction through the IATA Aviation Carbon Exchange via IATA Clearing House.

Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1041 A7-ANJ
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Why have offset schemes been controversial?

While you may think that carbon offset schemes would be popular with everyone, this is not the case. In the past, offset programs have been criticized as ‘greenwashing’ or have been accused of funding schemes that haven’t delivered.

The environmental group Greenpeace says:

“A newly-planted tree can take as many as 20 years to capture the amount of CO2 that a carbon-offset scheme promises. We would have to plant and protect a massive number of trees for decades to offset even a fraction of global emissions. Even then, there is always the risk that these efforts will be wiped out by droughts, wildfires, tree diseases, and deforestation.”

But in industries like aviation, where a transition away from fossil fuels will take more research, time, and funding, many argue offsets are the only viable solution.

What do you think of carbon offset schemes? Let us know in the comments below.