Supporting Sustainability, Traceability, and Lifecycle GHG Assurance Across the CORSIA Eligible Fuel Supply Chain

The aviation industry faces growing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while maintaining reliable international connectivity. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is one option for reducing aviation’s lifecycle emissions. However, demonstrating sustainability requires more than identifying a fuel as renewable. Organizations also need to meet applicable requirements for feedstock eligibility, traceability, and lifecycle GHG emissions.

What Is CORSIA?

CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) is a framework established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to address the growth of CO₂ emissions from international aviation.

Under CORSIA, aircraft operators may reduce their offsetting requirements by claiming eligible emissions reductions from the use of CORSIA Eligible Fuels (CEF). These fuels must meet the applicable sustainability and lifecycle emissions requirements.

ICAO states: “CEFs shall come from fuel producers that are certified by a Sustainability Certification Scheme (SCS) approved by the ICAO Council to perform this certification.”

This requirement highlights the role of independent sustainability certification in supporting CORSIA fuel claims. Certification helps establish a documented basis for demonstrating that eligible fuels meet the applicable requirements.

What Is ISCC CORSIA?

ISCC CORSIA is a sustainability certification scheme recognized by ICAO for demonstrating compliance with applicable CORSIA requirements. It supports the certification of sustainable aviation fuel supply chains through sustainability criteria, traceability, and lifecycle assessment (LCA).

According to ISCC System, the scheme enables economic operators to demonstrate compliance with the requirements applicable to CORSIA Eligible Fuels.

The certification framework is relevant to organizations involved in activities such as feedstock collection, processing, fuel production, trading, and other applicable supply chain operations.

By maintaining appropriate records and demonstrating compliance with the relevant requirements, participating organizations can support the credibility of sustainability claims throughout the certified supply chain.

How Are CORSIA, SAF, and ISCC CORSIA Connected?

Although these terms are closely related, they serve different purposes. CORSIA is the ICAO framework. It establishes requirements for addressing emissions from international aviation.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) refers to aviation fuel produced from eligible alternative feedstocks and assessed against the applicable requirements. Under CORSIA, qualifying SAF can be classified as CORSIA Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

ISCC CORSIA is a certification scheme that helps economic operators demonstrate compliance with the applicable sustainability and traceability requirements.

ICAO requires CORSIA Eligible Fuels to originate from fuel producers certified under an approved Sustainability Certification Scheme.

Therefore, CORSIA is not itself a fuel certification scheme. Instead, approved certification schemes provide the mechanisms used to demonstrate compliance with the relevant requirements.

What Are CORSIA Eligible Fuels?

CORSIA Eligible Fuels (CEF) are aviation fuels that meet the applicable CORSIA eligibility requirements. Their use can support reductions in aircraft operators’ offsetting requirements, subject to the applicable rules.

ICAO identifies two main categories:

• CORSIA Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF): Sustainable aviation fuels that meet the applicable CORSIA requirements.
• CORSIA Lower Carbon Aviation Fuels (LCAF): Fossil-based aviation fuels that meet the CORSIA sustainability criteria, including the applicable lifecycle emissions reduction threshold.

These categories are subject to specific eligibility criteria and lifecycle emissions methodologies. Consequently, not every alternative or lower-carbon aviation fuel automatically qualifies as a CORSIA Eligible Fuel.

The Three Key Pillars of ISCC CORSIA Requirements

ISCC CORSIA certification relies on several interconnected requirements. Three important areas are sustainability, traceability, and lifecycle GHG emissions assessment.

1. Sustainability Criteria

ISCC CORSIA requires compliance with the sustainability criteria established under the CORSIA framework.

ISCC states that these requirements address aspects including low lifecycle emissions, protection of high carbon stock lands, and the impacts of production on water, soil, air, conservation, human rights, social development, and food security.

Important Note: Feedstock eligibility is not determined solely by a company’s sustainability claim. ICAO establishes the applicable requirements and feedstock classifications that form the basis for CORSIA eligibility

2. Traceability and Chain of Custody

Traceability ensures that materials claimed as sustainable can be tracked through the relevant stages of the supply chain.

ISCC CORSIA 203 – Traceability and Chain of Custody establishes traceability and chain-of-custody requirements for supply-chain elements covered by certification. The chain-of-custody options permitted under the document are physical segregation and mass balance.

Under ISCC CORSIA, relevant supply chain participants must maintain records that support the traceability of certified materials and their sustainability characteristics.

ISCC CORSIA 203, Traceability and Chain of Custody, specifies the applicable chain-of-custody requirements. The document identifies two permitted approaches: physical segregation and mass balance.

Physical segregation keeps certified materials separate from non-certified materials according to the applicable requirements. Mass balance allows certified and non-certified materials to be handled within a controlled system, provided that the required records, calculations, and sustainability characteristics are maintained.

The appropriate approach depends on the applicable scheme requirements and the organization’s operations.

In practice, organizations should maintain consistent records of material quantities, incoming and outgoing volumes, suppliers, transactions, and relevant sustainability information. These records help demonstrate that certified material claims are supported by traceable evidence.

3. Lifecycle GHG Emissions Assessment

Lifecycle GHG emissions assessment evaluates emissions associated with the production and use of eligible aviation fuels.

The assessment goes beyond emissions generated during fuel combustion. Depending on the applicable methodology, it considers emissions from feedstock cultivation or collection, processing, transportation, fuel production, distribution, and use.

ICAO’s methodology also addresses indirect land-use change emissions and applicable emission credits.

The resulting lifecycle emissions value is expressed in grams of CO₂ equivalent per megajoule (gCO₂e/MJ). This value helps determine the emissions reduction associated with using an eligible fuel under CORSIA.

ICAO provides default lifecycle emissions values and a methodology for calculating actual values. The applicable approach depends on the fuel, feedstock, production pathway, and supporting technical information.

Organizations therefore need reliable activity data, documented assumptions, and appropriate calculations to support their lifecycle emissions claims.

Related article : ISO 14064-2: Measuring Emission Reductions from Mitigation Actions

Why Is ISCC CORSIA Certification Important?

For organizations operating in the sustainable aviation fuel supply chain, certification can help demonstrate that relevant activities meet applicable sustainability and traceability requirements.

Key benefits include:

• Supply chain transparency: Documented traceability helps connect feedstocks, materials, and sustainability information.
• Credible sustainability claims: Certification provides an independent assessment framework for demonstrating compliance with applicable requirements.
• Lifecycle emissions accounting: Structured methodologies support the calculation and reporting of fuel lifecycle GHG emissions.
• Market readiness: Demonstrating compliance can support engagement with customers and supply chain partners seeking CORSIA-eligible fuels.

Certification does not automatically make every fuel eligible for CORSIA or guarantee a reduction in offsetting obligations. Fuel eligibility, lifecycle emissions values, and claims must still satisfy the applicable ICAO requirements.

Strengthen Your ISCC CORSIA Readiness with CBQA Global

As demand for sustainable aviation fuels grows, organizations need reliable ways to demonstrate sustainability, traceability, and lifecycle GHG performance.

CBQA Global provides sustainability certification and assurance services. As an ISCC Cooperating Certification Body, CBQA Global lists ISCC CORSIA within its stated scope. Organizations can contact the team to discuss their operations, applicable certification requirements, and readiness for assessment.

Prepare your supply chain for ISCC CORSIA certification with CBQA Global.

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