Integration of Carbon Offsetting into Carbon Flight Labels: A Path to Sustainable Aviation

Air travel connects the world — but it also contributes nearly 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As the aviation sector intensifies its decarbonisation efforts, transparency alone is no longer enough. While carbon flight labels inform passengers about emissions, they rarely provide a direct path to mitigation at the point of purchase.

The project ‘Integration of Carbon Offsetting into Carbon Flight Labels: A Path to Sustainable Aviation’ closes that gap by embedding real-time carbon offsetting options directly into flight booking platforms. By integrating disclosure and action within a single, seamless interface, it enables travellers to understand and reduce their carbon footprint at the very moment they make their travel decisions.

This collaboration between the Singapore Institute of Technology and the Sustainable Aviation Hub at Dublin City University is led by Dr Tseng Wen-Chun and Prof Marina Efthymiou.

The research develops and empirically tests a next-generation carbon labelling framework that integrates scientifically robust emissions data with behaviourally informed digital design. Drawing on behavioural economics, aviation sustainability, environmental policy, and human-centred interface development, the project investigates how carbon information can be presented in ways that genuinely influence passenger choice.

Through consumer surveys, behavioural experiments, booking simulations, and focus groups, the study identifies the factors that drive sustainable travel behaviour. It examines how trust, transparency, cost sensitivity, and usability shape willingness to offset. Different label formats — including visual ratings, colour-coded indicators, comparisons, and behavioural nudges — are tested to determine which approaches most effectively convert intention into measurable action.

Beyond consumer engagement, the initiative addresses operational and regulatory feasibility. It explores how airlines and online travel platforms can technically integrate offsetting mechanisms at scale, ensure data credibility, and align with evolving international sustainability frameworks. The objective is to deliver a solution that is behaviourally effective, scalable, technically implementable and commercially viable.

The project produces actionable outputs, including evidence-based label design principles, implementation roadmaps for digital platforms, and policy-relevant recommendations for credible environmental disclosure. By transforming the booking moment into an opportunity for climate responsibility, this initiative empowers passengers to move beyond awareness toward measurable impact, supporting a more transparent, responsible and climate-conscious future for global aviation.