Aviation Carbon Emissions

How This is Calculated

Base emissions = distance × 0.115 kg CO₂/km (economy short-haul) to 0.195 kg CO₂/km (economy long-haul). A radiative forcing multiplier of 1.9 is applied to account for high-altitude contrails and non-CO₂ effects. Business and first class have higher per-passenger multipliers due to larger seat space.

Short vs Long Haul

Short-haul flights under 1,500km have higher per-km emissions because the fuel-intensive take-off and climb phases represent a larger proportion of the journey. A 500km domestic flight can emit more per km than a 5,000km transatlantic flight.

Carbon Offsets

Flight carbon offsets fund renewable energy, forest protection, or methane capture projects. Quality matters — look for Gold Standard or Verra-certified projects. Offsets don't eliminate emissions but do fund equivalent removals or reductions elsewhere.

Flight Carbon Footprint Calculator

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