Address CO2 emissions

A carbon footprint is the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions arising from a specific activity, such as a flight. The CO2 emissions of a flight depend, for example, on the aircraft used, the distance flown and the amount of passengers and cargo the aircraft carries.

Your contribution to the projects provides a way to help the reforestation of degraded wetlands in Pakistan and preserving forests in Indonesia. The projects do not directly reduce the CO2 emissions of flying or the CO2 emissions related to your own flight, but they provide an indirect way to contribute to the benefit of the climate and vulnerable ecosystems. The projects are certified by internationally recognized carbon certification standards such as the VCS, the Gold Standard, the American Carbon Registry, and Climate Action Reserve. It is still good to know that even if projects are certified, their actual climate impact can be challenging to assess.

In 2023, only about 0.2% (2,265 tons) of our total kerosene consumption was SAF. Of this SAF, our customers partly funded 1,101 tons, we voluntarily funded 681 tons, and 483 tons were obtained through national mandates. In the future, the share of SAF will increase due to e.g. EU regulation and through our and our customers voluntary actions. Your contribution will be used for voluntary SAF, which means it will not be used to cover the mandated SAF cost for Finnair.

With your contribution, Finnair will be able to buy extra SAF that meets the criteria of the Refuel EU directive. This means that the SAF purchased with our customers contribution will be biofuels produced from certain feedstocks, such as used cooking oil and animal fat, that meet the sustainability and GHG emissions criteria set by EU.

What makes sustainable aviation fuel a better option for the climate, are the feedstocks used and thus the CO2 emissions reduction achieved. Conventional jet fuel is primarily made from crude oil, a fossil fuel, whereas SAF is primarily made of waste and residues, such as used cooking oil and animal fat. The more SAF the aviation industry is able to use, the less fossil based conventional jet fuel is needed. It is good to know that there are several production pathways for SAF with several different feedstocks available. Finnair, however, will only use your contribution to SAF that meets the criteria set by EU.

When combusted, SAF and fossil-based jet fuel emit roughly the same amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, during the production process, SAF produces significantly less GHG emissions than jet fuel. When the whole life cycle of the fuel is considered, SAF can reduce up to 80% fossil emissions compared to conventional jet fuel. The exact reduction depends on the feedstock and production pathway used. Biofuels that comply with the EU regulation require at least 70% CO2 emissions reduction.

The global availability of sustainable aviation fuel is limited, and it is two to three times more expensive than regular jet fuel. Price and availability will develop only through more extensive use, and that is why we want to invest in sustainable fuels.

A small percentage of your contribution, 5% for SAF and 10% for carbon offsets, covers administrative costs.