Reducing the climate impact of travel is complex. Alongside work to reduce emissions across our operations, we support clean energy, lower-emissions aviation, and credible climate projects, including the responsible use of carbon credits, while investing in solutions that can help shape the future of travel.

What are Carbon Credits?

Carbon credits represent a real, verified reduction or removal of greenhouse gas emissions, equal to one tonne of CO₂e. They’re created by projects that either prevent emissions from happening or remove carbon from the atmosphere. Carbon credits are not a silver bullet and are certainly not a replacement for reducing emissions, but they can play a role in tackling the emissions that remain hardest to eliminate today.

Why we invest in the voluntary carbon market

At Skyscanner, our long-term goal is clear: net zero emissions by 2045 at the latest. Getting there means cutting our own footprint as much as possible - while also taking responsibility for the emissions we can't yet fully eliminate.

The voluntary carbon market allows us to do more than simply compensate for our emissions. By investing in high-quality carbon credits we can help direct funding to climate projects that need it most. This will help provide essential capital for projects to support the transition to a low-carbon future.

We recognise that this transition must be fair and inclusive. Many of these projects deliver benefits far beyond their emissions reductions and can provide climate resilience for communities and destinations most affected by climate change.

For us, the voluntary carbon market is not a substitution for reducing emissions. It can be a way to help fund real climate action today while we continue to work on our own operations and support the wider travel and tourism industry.

How we select our projects

We work with our climate platform, Watershed, to build a carbon portfolio that aligns with our climate goals. We take a careful, considered approach, prioritising projects that meet the following criteria:

• Credibility and transparency
  Projects must be independently verified and certified by recognised standards, with clear evidence of real and additional climate impact.

• Long-term impact and permanency
  We prioritise projects designed to deliver lasting climate benefits over time.

• Positive impact for people and nature
  We look for projects that support local communities and deliver social and economic benefits alongside emissions reductions.

As best practice and climate science continue to evolve, so will our approach. We’re committed to being open and transparent about that journey.

Types of climate projects we support

• Biochar carbon removal
  Converts organic waste into a stable form of carbon that can be stored long term, while also improving soil health.

• Methane capture and prevention
  Stops highly potent methane emissions from sources like abandoned oil and gas wells before they reach the atmosphere.

• Regenerative agriculture
  Supports farmers to improve soil health, store carbon in the ground, and build resilience in agricultural landscapes.

• Early-stage carbon removal technologies
  Invests in emerging solutions that remove carbon from the atmosphere and could play a bigger role in reaching net zero over time.

One example is Indigo Carbon, a regenerative agriculture programme that works with farmers across millions of acres of land. Farmers receive payments for verified improvements in soil carbon, helping improve soil health while also providing an additional source of income that supports local farming communities.

Investing in future carbon removal solutions

We have committed $1 million between 2024 and 2030 to Frontier, an initiative that brings together a cohort of businesses to help new carbon removal solutions get off the ground, allowing them access to rigorously vetted, science-backed permanent carbon removal solutions. Frontier works by giving early projects the confidence and funding they need to grow, even while the technology is still being developed. Some of these solutions are already operating at a small scale today, but their main role is to help build the carbon removal capacity the world is likely to need in the future to reach net zero. Through this commitment, we’ll take part in future carbon removal offtake agreements, supporting the growth of this emerging sector over time.

One example that has already started to deliver carbon credits today is Vaulted. Vaulted takes carbon-bearing, sludgy, organic wastes like biosolids, agricultural & livestock wastes, and paper sludge that otherwise would have gone to a landfill, dumped in a waterway, or spread on land to decompose. By taking the waste, and injecting it deep underground, Vaulted prevents the carbon from being released back into the atmosphere.

Clean energy for our operations

Reducing emissions starts with how we power our own operations. We focus first on using less energy through efficiency and smarter ways of working. Where possible, we purchase clean, renewable energy. Where this isn’t possible, we purchase Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs), a practical way to support renewable electricity when we can’t buy it directly. Each EAC represents one megawatt hour (MWh) of renewable energy added to the grid.

Supporting lower-emission flying through alternative fuels

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) currently meets only a small fraction of global aviation fuel demand. To scale this promising alternative, greater investment and clearer demand signals are needed. That’s why we’re working with SkyNRG to support SAF production by helping demonstrate demand from the travel and tourism sector. Through this partnership, we purchase SAF in relation to our corporate travel emissions, contributing to the growth of lower-emission fuel options for the future of flying.