Venezuelan aviation faces sanctions over carbon emissions if targets not met by 2027

Venezuelan airlines must accelerate their carbon emission reduction plans or risk facing significant international sanctions, including potential bans from European airspace, according to William Bracho, former vice president of the Venezuelan Chamber of Air Transport and Conseturismo.

Bracho explained that the global aviation industry is moving from an optional to a mandatory phase for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). He stressed that Venezuela needs to officially join CORSIA and implement its measurement and compensation standards. "Venezuela has to adapt to what CORSIA asks for, of course it has to subscribe to CORSIA, then it has to develop the measurement and compensation rules that already exist and that simply means we have to get moving to integrate into it," Bracho stated.

The consequences of non-compliance could be severe. Bracho warned that a lack of technical adaptation would prevent Venezuelan planes from landing at airports across Europe and other nations adopting the environmental standard. "We could face a number of restrictions if Venezuela is not part of the plan," he cautioned.

Furthermore, Bracho pointed to structural challenges within Venezuela's aviation sector, noting that national airlines operate some of the oldest aircraft in Latin America. While these planes are currently flying safely, their age contributes to higher greenhouse gas emissions. "Our planes are flying safely, but the problem is that looking ahead we cannot continue with that fleet, and even nationally because we are not only polluting but also increasing the risk factor," he emphasized, underscoring the urgent need for fleet renewal.