CUR8 Helps British Airways Become Leader in Carbon Removals

British Airways (BA) is a household name worldwide and is known as the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. 

The airline, headquartered at Heathrow, took around 38 million passengers into the skies in 2023.

It is also known as one of the world’s leading sustainable airlines, leveraging its century-long heritage to drive innovation across its operations. Its workforce of 30,000 people now operate newer, more fuel efficient aircraft.

BA calls its sustainability programme, BA Better World, its most important journey to date as it guides the airline’s ESG strategy and roadmap to net zero by 2050.

“As the UK’s flag carrier, we have a responsibility to help create a sustainable future for our planet, and we’re on a mission to be carbon net zero by 2050,” BA’s CEO Sean Doyle said.

British Airways: Leading carbon removals

To help further accelerate its sustainability ambitions, particularly before 2030, BA has signed an US$11m deal with CUR8 to procure 33,000 tonnes of carbon removals credits. This, part of a six-year offtake agreement, acknowledges the importance of carbon removals and the vital role it plays in decarbonising aviation.

BA expects that a third of its net zero pathway to 2050 will be achieved through the use of carbon removals, the rest supported by aircraft innovation, operational efficiencies and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Carrie Harris, Director of Sustainability at BA said: “As we approach the halfway point in this critical decade of action, we’re sharpening our focus on delivering real, tangible progress by 2030. 

“We know flying has a significant impact on the planet and achieving net zero by 2050 requires bold, innovative action today, as well as long-term transformation. 

“This partnership with CUR8 reflects our commitment and we’re delighted to be working with them again.

“While small in comparison to our total emissions, the projects within this portfolio are crucial in stimulating the carbon removals market. 

“By supporting pioneering solutions, we’re not only contributing to immediate progress but also laying the groundwork for the large-scale changes needed to meet our climate goals. There is no pathway to net zero for aviation without carbon removals.”

What is CUR8?

CUR8 specialises in sourcing high-quality durable carbon removal from around the world.

It brings together the world’s leading scientists and climate software to help organisations, like BA, source and manage carbon removals to help de-risk their net zero future.

CUR8 has been working with BA since 2023, where — alongside Standard Chartered and carbon dioxide removal project developer UNDO — the brands began collaborating on a first-of-a-kind pilot for financing carbon removals.

“British Airways understands that carbon removals are not a nice-to-have, but an essential part of the aviation sector’s net zero journey,” Marta Krupinska, CEO of CUR8, said.

“We've been proud to partner with this aviation leader to build a portfolio that combines the best of nature and human engineering, stretching from UK soils to the oceans and rivers of Canada.”

Carbon removal credits explained

So, what are carbon removal credits? 

A carbon removal credit represents one tonne of CO₂ removed from the atmosphere. This is then physically stored for hundreds to thousands of years. 

This is different for carbon offsets, which pay for the avoidance of emissions or protection of natural carbon sinks, like forests.

Carbon removal is universally recognised by scientists to be critical, alongside deep decarbonisation, at preventing the devastating impacts of climate change.

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