• Japan Airlines has signed what the companies describe as the world’s first purchase agreement for carbon removal credits designed to meet CORSIA requirements.
• Climeworks Solutions will source a portfolio including soil carbon sequestration and biochar, alongside separate Direct Air Capture credits.
• The deal offers an early test of how carbon removal could move from voluntary corporate climate strategies into aviation compliance markets.

JAL moves carbon removal into aviation compliance

Japan Airlines has signed a carbon removal agreement with Climeworks Solutions that could open a new route for airlines managing emissions under global aviation rules.

The companies said the pilot is the world’s first purchase agreement for carbon dioxide removal credits designed to meet the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, known as CORSIA.

The agreement brings carbon removal closer to a regulated aviation market. It also creates an early source of demand for removal projects capable of meeting CORSIA’s eligibility requirements.

For airlines, the development comes as the sector faces pressure to cut emissions while managing the limits of current decarbonization technologies. New aircraft, operational efficiencies and Sustainable Aviation Fuel remain central to the transition. Carbon removal could provide another tool for emissions that remain after those measures.

“As the first airline to secure CORSIA-compliant carbon removals, we are proud to lead the industry toward net-zero emissions,” said Noriko Ogawa, Executive Officer and Chairperson, Sustainability Promotion Committee, Japan Airlines. “While reducing emissions through aircraft renewal, operational innovations and the use of SAF remains our top priority, high-integrity carbon removals are essential to address residual emissions. Through this pioneering partnership with Climeworks, we aim to accelerate the adoption of high-quality solutions across international aviation and contribute to a sustainable future for air travel.”

A portfolio approach to carbon removal

Climeworks Solutions will source a portfolio of removal credits intended to fulfil requirements for ICAO CORSIA Eligible Emissions Units.

The portfolio will span different carbon removal pathways, including soil carbon sequestration and biochar. This approach gives JAL access to removal options available at greater scale today while spreading exposure across different technologies and project types.

JAL will separately purchase Direct Air Capture credits from Climeworks. DAC uses engineered systems to capture carbon dioxide directly from ambient air, after which the CO2 can be permanently stored.

The additional purchase is designed to support the development of permanent engineered removals even as JAL uses other pathways for its CORSIA obligations.

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“This agreement with JAL represents an important milestone not only for aviation, but for the wider carbon removal industry,” said Adrian Siegrist, Chief Commercial Officer at Climeworks. “Earlier this year, Climeworks Solutions expanded its offering to help organizations procure carbon removal portfolios aligned with emerging compliance frameworks, including CORSIA. This agreement demonstrates how carbon removal is increasingly moving from voluntary climate action into compliance markets.”

CORSIA creates a new demand channel

CORSIA is ICAO’s global framework for addressing emissions from international aviation. Its requirements create a potentially significant source of demand for eligible carbon credits as airlines manage their compliance obligations.

JAL has already participated in that market. The carrier was among the early airlines to retire large volumes of CORSIA-eligible credits. Its latest agreement extends that activity into carbon dioxide removal.

For the carbon market, the distinction matters. Much of the corporate demand for carbon removal has historically come through voluntary climate commitments. Integrating removals into compliance frameworks could broaden the buyer base and create more predictable demand.

It could also increase scrutiny. Buyers will need to assess durability, measurement, verification and environmental integrity alongside regulatory eligibility. Those considerations become more consequential when credits are used to satisfy formal compliance requirements rather than voluntary targets.

Aviation tests the role of permanent removals

JAL’s strategy continues to prioritize direct emissions reductions through fleet renewal, operational improvements and SAF. Carbon removal is positioned as a tool for residual emissions rather than a substitute for those measures.

That distinction will be important as aviation works toward long-term climate targets. The sector remains difficult to decarbonize because of its dependence on energy-dense fuels and the long operating lives of aircraft.

For executives and investors, the JAL agreement provides an early view of how compliance demand could reshape carbon removal procurement. Airlines may increasingly need to evaluate carbon credits not simply by price, but by regulatory eligibility, durability and supply security.

If CORSIA-compliant removals expand beyond pilot transactions, international aviation could become an important bridge between the voluntary carbon removal market and regulated climate finance. That would give removal developers a new class of buyers while adding another component to airlines’ increasingly complex decarbonization strategies.