We recognise people sometimes fly because they couldn’t find an alternative. Whether for business, holidays, or connecting with family, flying can feel like the only choice. Even so, carbon emissions from their flight may still concern them.  A contribution to ICaN’s Flight Plan supports local nature and climate action, helping to ease flight carbon regrets. 

A typical short haul, economy class return flight, creates 0.7 tonnes of carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. 

The average long-haul, economy class return flight, creates 3 tonnes of carbon emissions.

For Business or First-Class seats, carbon emissions are even higher – a full ton for the same short-haul flight and around 12 tonnes for the same long-haul. 

For context: The typical Personal Greenhouse Gas Emissions (PGGE) for a UK citizen is currently around 5.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) per year. To become more sustainable and avoid further climate damage, our PGGE need to reduce to 2-3 tonnes per year by 2050. 

The aviation industry is working hard to reduce its carbon emissions, but these changes will take time. Meanwhile, it’s important to take whatever positive action we can.

There are some good schemes available that enable you to offset the carbon produced by those unavoidable flights. Sadly, to keep costs low, the offsetting measures inevitably take place far from the UK.  

If you: 

Can’t avoid flying? 

Worry about the carbon emissions? 

Have concerns that offsetting options are delivered thousands of miles away? 

Consider supporting ICaN' Flight Plan.

ICaN projects address the causes and effects of biodiversity loss, nature's decline, and climate breakdown. Helping nature recover and building greater climate resilience, they are an investment in a more sustainable future for nature, people, and business. 

Suggested contributions 

1 person, economy class UK domestic return flight = £6.00

1 person, economy class, short haul return flight = £13.50

1 person, Business / First class, short haul return flight = £20.00

1 person, economy class, long haul return flight = £67.00

1 person, Premium Economy class, long haul return flight = £107.00

1 person, Business class, long haul return flight = £194.00

1 person, First-class, long-haul return flight = £268.00