CORSIA, Upgraded: A Flyer’s Guide to SAF & LCAF (with Real Perks)

Welcome aboard Flight CORSIA 101, non-stop from Fossilville to SAFtown.

We’re routing you through three ICAO manuals (sustainability criteria, default LCE values, and actual LCE methodology) that arrived in their shiny 2025 versions, and we’ll get you there without a missed connection. Think of this as your business-class upgrade: same destination (credible emissions cuts), much better seat (clarity, predictability, and fewer turbulence surprises).

Seat Classes: SAF vs. LCAF

• SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) — the lie-flat seat. Meets full sustainability criteria for batches produced on/after Jan 1, 2024 and targets verifiable net GHG cuts.
• LCAF (Lower-Carbon Aviation Fuel) — the comfy extra-legroom row. Not “sustainable” per se, but eligible if you reduce the lifecycle intensity of conventional fuel starting Jan 1, 2024 and meet targeted criteria.

Minimum fare rule: both classes must beat conventional jet fuel by ≥10% lifecycle GHG. You show this with LCEF = Core LCA + LUC (ILUC or DLUC) − Credits.

Fare Rules (Where People Get Downgraded)

• Carbon stock no-go zones (since Jan 1, 2008): no feedstock from primary forests, wetlands, peatlands, mangroves, seagrass meadows, coral reefs, tidal marshes, etc. No degradation there, either. You don’t harvest carbon sinks to save carbon.
• Permanence (new in the 2022 3rd ed.): if you use CCS, you must monitor/mitigate leakage over 100 years and keep a Reserve Inventory Account to make good on any non-permanence. (LCAF adds specific checks on oil & gas well closures.)

Full sustainability checklist? See the Seatback Card below—14 themes, one quick look.

Seatback Card: The 14 CORSIA Sustainability Themes (What it checks • How to show it)

1) Greenhouse Gases (GHG) • Demonstrate ≥10% lifecycle reduction vs. conventional jet. • Use LCEF (core LCA + LUC − credits), 100-yr GWPs, documented data trail.
2) Carbon Stock • No sourcing from (or degrading) high-carbon-stock areas converted after Jan 1, 2008 (e.g., primary forests, wetlands, peat, mangroves, seagrass, reefs, tidal marsh). • Land-use screening, geospatial evidence, supplier attestations.
3) Permanence (GHG Reduction Permanence) • If using CCS, monitor/mitigate leakage over 100 years and maintain a Reserve Inventory Account; for LCAF, include oil & gas well-closure risks. • Site-specific leakage analysis, regulator approvals, reserve accounting records.

4) Water • Sustain withdrawals, protect quality, avoid harm to aquatic ecosystems. • Water balance + permitting, effluent monitoring, spill/contingency plans.
5) Soil • Maintain/improve SOC, manage erosion/salinization, nutrient balance. • Soil management plans, SOC tracking, agronomy/practices logs (e.g., cover crops).
6) Air • Control local pollutants (PM, NOx, SOx, VOCs, odors). • Emissions inventories, stack/fugitive monitoring, control-tech documentation.
7) Conservation (Biodiversity/Ecosystems) • Avoid HCV/HB habitats; prevent invasive species; maintain corridors. • Biodiversity screening, avoidance/mitigation plans, ongoing monitoring.
8) Waste & Chemicals • Safe handling; no banned substances; prevent hazardous releases; favor circular flows. • MSDS/chemical lists, storage/disposal records, waste minimization plans.
9) Seismic & Vibrational Impacts • Assess/mitigate vibration or induced seismicity (e.g., injection/CCS). • Risk assessments, monitoring protocols, regulator sign-offs.

10) Human & Labour Rights • Align with ILO core conventions; no forced/child labor; safe work; non-discrimination; grievance channels. • Policies, training, audits, incident logs, remediation records.
11) Land Use Rights • Legal title and respect for customary/community tenure; FPIC where applicable. • Title/lease docs, FPIC evidence, stakeholder agreements.
12) Water Use Rights • Lawful access, equitable allocation; protect downstream users. • Rights/permits, community consultations, impact studies.
13) Local & Social Development • Avoid displacement; enable fair benefit-sharing; responsive grievance mechanisms. • Social impact assessments, community investment plans, grievance logs.
14) Food Security • Do not impair staple availability/affordability; offset with yield gains or low-LUC sourcing. • Food-security screening, yield-increase evidence, market impact analysis.

Nonstop or Connect? (Default vs. Actual)

• Default LCEF (the nonstop): ICAO’s tables for common pathways (e.g., HEFA, ATJ-SPK). Default ILUC = 0for wastes/residues/by-products. For main products, ILUC varies by crop/region.
• Actual LCEF (the connection that may arrive earlier): your bottom-up number if you can beat the default or you’re flying a new pathway.
  • Core LCA: stages 1→8, field to flame, CO₂/CH₄/N₂O with 100-yr GWP. Biogenic CO₂ at combustion excluded from the core value.
  • LUC:
    • ILUC can be 0 if you prove low-LUC-risk via yield lifts (cover crops, sequential cropping, better agronomy, post-harvest loss cuts) or unused/degraded land—show more feedstock per hectarenet.
    • DLUC applies if land converted after 1/1/2008; amortize over 25 years. If DLUC > default ILUC, DLUC replaces it.
  • Credits (optional) for MSW-derived SAF: landfill (LEC) and recycling (REC) credits if additive, permanent, and no double counting. Guardrail: LCEF can’t go below 0 gCO₂e/MJ after credits.
  • CCS: include geological storage reductions if you meet leakage-risk analysis, regulation, and that Reserve Inventory.
  • Soil Carbon Accumulation (SCA): count gains from reduced tillage, rotations, cover crops, biochar(CCF waived for biochar; otherwise 15% conservatism). Applies to fields cultivated pre-2008 or unused/degraded land.

LCAF’s Eligibility Math (Your Upgrade Gate)

• Calculate LLCAF = CP + MP, where CP = facility’s post-mitigation carbon intensity and MP = venting/flaring/fugitives (VFF).
• Prove reductions vs. the baseline across recovery, transport, refining, with special methane managementtracking. Clear, auditable, defensible.

Powering the Cabin (Electricity Rules You Can’t Ignore)

• Sourcing: dedicated generation, EACs, or PPAs/contractual paths that meet integrity tests.
• Deliverability: same grid/market region as the fuel plant (no teleporting electrons).
• Temporal matching: annual until Dec 31, 2029 (or until the grid meets “ready” conditions), then hourly.
• Additionality: new build—generally ≤36 months before the CEF facility starts—and not double-subsidized for other sectors.
• Siting & sustainability: no high carbon stock land; solar preferably on non-arable/marginal land; extra rules kick in for capacity after Jan 1, 2033.

The Crew: Who Does What (Seat Map)

• Aeroplane Operators: decide default vs. actual, keep records, and file claims with your State. Choose an approved Sustainability Certification Scheme (SCS) to validate the LCA.
• Fuel Producers (Economic Operators): hit the criteria, compute actuals when needed, and submit a Technical Report (GHGs, inventories, factors, feedstocks, volumes, electricity sourcing/CCS/low-LUC claims, etc.). Maintain a chain-of-custody to track every claim.
• SCS: independent verification—apply ICAO criteria, audit Technical Reports, validate LCAs, check CCS Reserve Accounts, approve SCA models, prevent double-claiming.
• States & ICAO Council: oversee, attest specific themes (environmental & social), resolve disputes, and approve any amendments.

Amenity Kit: Five Ways to Earn Status Fast

1. Pick your seat early. If you can’t beat the table, use default values and avoid delays; if you can, go actual and lock in the upside.
2. Lock the land story. Either qualify for ILUC = 0 (low-LUC-risk practices or unused/degraded land) ordocument DLUC cleanly with transparent factors.
3. Treat electricity like SAF’s co-pilot. Nail deliverability, temporal matching, and additionality up front (PPA term sheets, EAC proof, commissioning dates).
4. Mind the permanence. If doing CCS, set up leakage monitoring and your Reserve Inventory Account now—don’t scramble at certification.
5. Use the right credits, the right way. MSW credits (LEC/REC) are powerful but policed; design for additionality and watch the 0 gCO₂e/MJ floor.

Myth vs. Cabin Reality

• “Biogenic CO₂ at the engine kills my score.” Not in the core LCA—it’s excluded at combustion. What matters is cultivation/collection, processing, and any LUC.
• “Residues always help.” Defaults give ILUC = 0 for wastes/residues/by-products, but you still must prove logistics and avoid burden shifting.
• “Hourly matching is years away—ignore it.” It’s coming post-2029 (earlier in ready grids). Build metering/data now so the switch is painless.
• “LCAF is a consolation prize.” Not if methane’s your lever. A clean LLCAF showing serious VFF reductions can deliver big near-term wins.

The Route Map (TL;DR for Busy Flyers)

• What: A three-doc system that defines who’s eligible, how to count, and who certifies.
• How: Use default tables or go actual with defensible data. Treat LUC, electricity, CCS, and SCA like critical connecting flights.
• Who: Producers document and certify; operators claim; SCS verifies; States oversee; ICAO sets/updates the maps.

Final call: CORSIA isn’t a mystery; it’s a route network. Choose the right seat (SAF/LCAF), respect the fare rules (LUC, electricity, permanence), and keep your boarding passes (data trail) handy. Do that, and you don’t just board—you upgrade.