CLECAT AND SMART FREIGHT CENTRE WEBINAR ON IATA CO2 CONNECT FOR CARGO
On 25 November, CLECAT and Smart Freight Centre (SFC) organised a webinar on IATA CO2 Connect for Cargo, a tool developed to enhance CO2 data transparency across the air cargo sector. The initiative aims to provide reliable, flight-level operational emissions data and strengthen the credibility of decarbonisation efforts in aviation.
The ongoing pilot phase, involving several SFC-accredited calculation tools, freight forwarders, shippers, and 15 leading airlines from SFC’s Clean Air Transport programme, is testing primary-data-based calculations alongside existing modelled approaches, helping to resolve integration and data-quality issues before wider adoption. Once sufficient confidence has been built during the pilot, the transition to primary operational data is expected to gradually replace modelled data. This shift is essential for accurate emissions reporting and for supporting credible decarbonisation efforts, particularly for companies with Science-Based Targets requiring verifiable figures.
The webinar also discussed the integration of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). CO2 Connect currently incorporates SAF at network level, with plans to introduce route-specific, more granular integration in 2026. The tool indicates which airlines report SAF usage and factors these percentages into calculations. CLECAT considers that while SAF-related costs are currently being passed on to freight forwarders without full visibility on actual fuel composition, programmes such as CO2 Connect for Cargo could provide much-needed clarity, allowing companies to better account for emissions and make informed decarbonisation decisions.
CLECAT will continue to monitor the development of CO2 Connect for Cargo and encourages members to explore the tool as a way to improve transparency and support accurate emissions reporting leading to better informed decarbonisation strategies across the air freight sector.