E
Sustainable Environment
S
Inclusive Society
G
Corporate Governance

Green Performance

Environmental protection is key to China Airlines. We actively seek operational success and ecological benefits, leading sustainable growth in Taiwan’s aviation.

Greenhouse Gas Aviation Fuel Performance Energy Conservation Management Performance Noise and Air Pollution Control Waste Management Water Resource Management

Green Performance

Environmental protection is a crucial cornerstone for corporate sustainable development. To this end, China Airlines is committed to implementing its "Environmental and Energy Policy," guided by four main operational pillars: "Sound Environmental and Energy Management Operations," "Deepening Carbon Management Practices," "Building Environmental Management Capacity in the Value Chain," and "Promoting Internal and External Environmental Awareness." Through regular and ad hoc meetings of the Corporate Environmental Committee, its five major environmental management committees, the Aviation fuel management team, and various functional project teams, the company continuously improves and enhances the ecological benefits of its operations. It actively manages environmental-related operational risks and opportunities within the aviation industry. For detailed performance information, please refer to the " environmental Performance Appendix."

Greenhouse Gas

In accordance with the guidelines of ISO/CNS 14064-1 and the Greenhouse Gases Protocol, CAL conducts annual surveys for international aviation fuel and greenhouse emissions of all ground operations to monitor the overall greenhouse gas emission conditions. Starting from 2015, CAL calculated the emissions from the products purchased, capital goods, fuel and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or 2, upstream and downstream transportation and distribution, waste treatment, employee commuting, upstream and downstream leased assets, and investments based on 15 classification requirements of the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Guidance. The greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 are summarized below:


Source of Emission Analysis Method Approach Year Types of GHG Biofuel
  • Aviation fuel
  • Petrol and diesel used by official vehicles / engineering vehicles / forklifts / tow trucks
  • Refrigerant used to replenish vehicles / air conditioner / drink dispensers
  • Diesel used by emergency generations / boilers / fire trucks
  • Halon / CO2  / FM200 / FE36 fire extinguishers LPG and oxy-acetylene used during aircraft maintenance
  • GCB
  • Natural gas used by restaurant and boiler
 Quantitative analysis Annual GHG inventory and external verification 2009 CO2 , N2O,
CH4, HFCs,
 SAF
Source of Emission Analysis Method Approach Year Types of GHG Biofuel
  • Externally purchased electricity
 Quantitative analysis Annual GHG inventory and external verification 2009 CO2e Based on the power generation structure published by Taiwan Power Company
Source of Emission Analysis Method Approach Year Types of GHG Biofuel
  • Upstream and downstream transportation and distribution
  • Business travel
  • Employee commuting
  • Client and visitor transportation
  • Purchased goods and services
  • Fuel and energy related activities (not included in category 1 or category 2)
  • Waste generated in operations
  • Franchises
  • Downsteam rental assets
 Quantitative analysis Perform annual identification, inventory and verification based on CAL’s indirect GHG emissions identification procedure and tool 2020 CO2e Based on the emission source characteristics
GHG Emissions of CAL, Mandarin Airlines, and Tigerair Taiwan

(Unit: tons CO2e)

Scope of GHG Company Items 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Category 1 China Airlines Flight operations 7,059,083 5,787,751 5,875,531 5,435,050 6,048,568 6,224,228
Ground Operations in Taiwan 4,981 3,051 2,897 4,041 3,028 3,328
Ground Operations in Outstations (Note) 362 211 197 497 1,242 806
Mandarin Airlines Flight operations 237,699 107,505 63,987 89,500 120.429 119,492
Tigerair Taiwan Flight operations 362,794 53,514 988 31,306 305,107 399,684
Category 2 China Airlines Ground operations 18,169 17,572 16,697 16,468 15,767 15,079
Categories 3-6(Note) China Airlines Ground operations 1,607,690 1,326,227 1,364,016 1,240,935 1,389,211 1,432,790

Note 1: The statistics contain 100% of the aviation fuels used by China Airlines (including both domestic and overseas branches, outstations), Mandarin Airlines, and Tigerair Taiwan.

Note 2: In 2024, China Airlines' total greenhouse gas emissions amounted to 7,677,233 metric tons of CO2e (accounting for 100% of total emissions). This figure was verified with reasonable assurance by an accredited verification body in accordance with the ISO 14064-1:2018 inventory standard and certification standards ISO 14066:2011, ISO 14065:2020, and ISO 14064-3:2019, concluding with a pass. Prior to 2022, only off-station ground operation data (less than 0.03% of the total) were not subject to external verification.

Note 3: CAL adheres to ISO 14064-1:2018 and the GHG Protocol Scope 3 guidelines, 15 categories of emissions are calculated, including emissions from purchased goods, capital goods, fuel and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 and 2, upstream and downstream transportation and distribution, waste disposal, employee commuting, upstream and downstream leased assets, investments, and others.

Note 4: Carbon intensity (ton CO2e / Million NTD) = GHG emissions / Revenue.

Note 5: In 2024, other Group Subsidiaries reported total emissions of 590,061 tons of CO2e for Categories 1 and 2, and 134,347 tons of CO2e for Categories 3-6.

GHG Emissions: Scope 1、Scope 2


2024
2009

Aviation Fuel Performance

China Airlines
  • Unit: ton
  • Unit: PJ
Mandarin Airlines
  • Unit: ton
  • Unit: PJ
Tigerair Taiwan
  • Unit: ton
  • Unit: PJ
China Airlines
Mandarin Airlines
Tigerair Taiwan
China Airlines
Mandarin Airlines
Tigerair Taiwan
China Airlines Aircraft
  • Unit: Tons/1000 RTK
China Airlines Passenger Aircraft
  • Unit: L/100 RPK
China Airlines Cargo Aircraft
  • Unit: L/FRTK
Mandarin Airlines
  • Unit: Tons/1000 RTK
Tigerair Taiwan
  • Unit: Tons/1000 RTK
China Airlines Aircraft
China Airlines Passenger Aircraft
China Airlines Cargo Aircraft
Mandarin Airlines
Tigerair Taiwan

Note: Mandarin Airlines and Tigerair operate an all-passenger aircraft fleet.

Energy Conservation Management Performance

85.3 ton

Sustainable Aviation Fuels (Cumulative three-year data)

35,517 kWh

Elevator power regeneration system (Cumulative three-year data)

464 kWh

Renewable Energy - Solar Energy (Cumulative three-year data)

Types of Energy Unit 2021 2022 2023 2024
Non-renewable Fuels MWh/GJ 22,761,510 / 81,934,882 21,053,443 / 75,786,331 23,429,847 / 84,340,702 24,109,748 / 86,788,148
Renewable Fuels
(Sustainable Aviation Fuel, SAF)		 MWh/GJ 94 / 338 181 / 650 299 / 1,076 261 / 938
Electricity (purchased) MWh/GJ 33,260 / 119,728 32,354 / 116,465 31,853/ 114,662 31,813 / 114,518
Solar photovolatic
(self-consumption)		 MWh/GJ 127 / 457 110 / 396 119 / 428 108 / 389
Elevator Power Regeneration System
(recycled for own use)		 KWh/GJ 889 / 3.20 11,213 / 40.36 12,111 / 43.60 11,304 / 40.69

Note 1: Non-renewable fuels include gasoline, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), and aviation fuel. All CAL aircraft are counted as part of the calculation of aircraft fuel consumption.

Note 2: The scope of purchased electricity covers the campus areas (CAL Park, Taipei Branch, Songshan Park), maintenance factories (Hangar 2, Hangar 3, Engine Shop), and the Kaohsiung Branch. In 2024, 11.6% of the purchased electricity, approximately 3,690 MWh, was sourced from renewable energy (source: https://reurl.cc/eXMEr7).

Note 3: In 2024, the 98.21 kW solar installation at the CAL Park obtained 108 renewable energy certificates.

Note 4: The net calorific values for aviation fuel are based on the coefficients announced by the IPCC, while those for natural gas and sustainable aviation fuel are determined by the actual values provided by suppliers. The calorific values for residual gasoline/ diesel are calculated using the latest version of the Energy Bureau's Energy Product Unit Calorific Value Table.

Noise and Air Pollution Control

Since the noise-free engine is still in the development stage, CAL has initially adopted the following measures to reduce negative impact of noise generated during take-off and landing on local communities and frontline personnel without affecting safety:

  1. All aircrafts in the fleet (A350-900, A330-300, A321neo, 777-300ER, 737-800, 777F, and 747- 400F) have conformed to international noise standards (noise level for Chapters 3 and 4 of ICAO Annex 16); in particular, noise of A350-900 is 16 dB lower than the current standards and 20% less than that of the same model of competitors.
  2. Implement flight takeoff and landing operations in accordance with the Noise Abatement Procedures announced by each airport.
  3. Encourage the flight crew to employ the continuous descent approach (CDA) to continue low-noise operations, lower noise level, and reduce fuel consumption.
  4. Pay noise charges according to regulations of each country's airports on noise prevention.
  5. Collect international information through international exchange platforms, such as IATA to continue to carry out noise reduction.

Among the gases emitted by aircraft engines, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx) have a significant impact on the local air quality. CAL reduces the impact on ground air quality during aircraft takeoff / landing mainly through introducing low-pollution new aircraft, performing single-engine taxi operations (engine out taxi), and improving the efficiency of ground power units.In terms of fleet renewal, CAL has fully received 15 A350-900 aircraft, and all A340-300 and 747 passenger aircraft have been retired. In 2024, China Airlines introduced one leased A350-900, four A321neo passenger aircraft, and two 777F freighters. In 2025, besides continuing to add A321neo passenger planes, China Airlines will welcome a new Boeing 787 fleet. With this modern and younger fleet, the airline aims to provide excellent passenger and cargo transportation services. Also, through a robust corporate environmental and energy management mechanism, we continuously achieve zero penalty operation targets and enhance operational ecological benefits.


Corporate NOx and SOx emissions

Passenger aircraft   2021 2022 2023 2024
SOx Emissions (ton)
 27.43 29.59 38.36 46.17
Emission efficiency (g/RTK) 0.0150 0.0130 0.0094 0.0104
NOx Emissions (ton)
 34.18 120.64 400.60 482.23
Emission efficiency (g/RPK) 0.0538 0.0183 0.0119 0.0130
Cargo aircraft   2021 2022 2023 2024
SOx Emissions (ton)
 16.06 13.03 11.37 11.02
Emission efficiency (g/RTK) 0.0028 0.0028 0.0027 0.0026
NOx Emissions (ton)
 167.43 135.84 118.79 115.14
Emission efficiency (g/RTK) 0.0290 0.0291 0.0278 0.0276

Note 1: The emissions of SOx and NOx are calculated using the formula "Total annual emissions = Number of flights x SOx/NOx Emission Factor (Tons / LTO)," where the emission factors are based on the latest numerical values announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States for that year.

Note 2: LTO: refers to the landing take-off.

Note 3: Mandarin Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan have no cargo aircraft.

Note 4: Amendment of calculation method and coverage on CAL's NOx emissions from 2021 to 2022, excluding the pandemic's effect on flight dispatch.

Passenger aircraft   2022 2023 2024
SOx Emissions (ton)
 24.99 26.58 27.81
Emission efficiency (g/RTK) 0.6070 0.4004 0.4016
NOx Emissions (ton)
 260.49 277.54 290.45
Emission efficiency (g/RPK) 0.5908 0.3863 0.3933

Note 1: The emissions of SOx and NOx are calculated using the formula "Total annual emissions = Number of flights x SOx/NOx Emission Factor (Tons / LTO)," where the emission factors are based on the latest numerical values announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States for that year.

Note 2: LTO: refers to the landing take-off.

Note 3: Mandarin Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan have no cargo aircraft.

Note 4: Amendment of calculation method and coverage on CAL's NOx emissions from 2021 to 2022, excluding the pandemic's effect on flight dispatch.

Passenger aircraft   2022 2023 2024
SOx Emissions (ton)
 1.24 11.56 15.17
Emission efficiency (g/RTK) 0.0458 0.0304 0.0271
NOx Emissions (ton)
 12.95 120.77 158.41
Emission efficiency (g/RPK) 0.0434 0.0279 0.0285

Note 1: The emissions of SOx and NOx are calculated using the formula "Total annual emissions = Number of flights x SOx/NOx Emission Factor (Tons / LTO)," where the emission factors are based on the latest numerical values announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States for that year.

Note 2: LTO: refers to the landing take-off.

Note 3: Mandarin Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan have no cargo aircraft

Note 4: Amendment of calculation method and coverage on CAL's NOx emissions from 2021 to 2022, excluding the pandemic's effect on flight dispatch.

Waste Management

CAL manages waste according to five main principles: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and repair. CAL's objective is to recycle 100% of waste and increase the waste recycling rate year by year. For more information, please refer to Commitment and Long-Term Goals. Considering that air transportation services are the core operations of the aviation industry, CAL actively participates in the IATA Cabin Waste Task Force discussions and has established a Waste Working Group. Since 2017, it has been collecting the total weight of cabin waste and recycled items.

Waste Management Performance

(Unit: Tons)

Item Waste produced Disposal Method
2021 2022 2023 2024
General domestic waste 94 113 122 118 Incineration - with energy recovery
410 629 986 948 Incineration - without energy recovery (Delivered to the airport incineration plant in accordance with regulations and recommended the installation of electricity generation facilities)
Resource recycling 507 622 973 1,111 Recycling and reuse - resource recycling
Hazardous industrial waste 12 12 11 7 Other treatment - heat treatment (e.g., sludge from electroplating)
1 2 1 1 Other treatment - offshore treatment (e.g., batteries that contain cadmium)
Non-hazardous industrial waste 100 147 194 193 Recycling and reuse - resource recycling (e.g., waste lubricants)
64 47 127 113 Other treatment - heat treatment (e.g., waste paint)
Total 1,188 1,572 2,414 2,491 -

Note 1: Third-party contractors were appointed for removing and offsite processing of waste for disposal. CAL implements inspections in accordance with the contract to ensure compliance with regulations.

Note 2: Scope of statisticst: EMO, CAL Park, Kaohsiung Branch, VIP lounges of four stations (Taoyuan, Songshan, Kaohsiung and Tainan), and Taoyuan Airport in-bound flight services.

Note 3: Due to changes in the reporting process in 2024, a new category for non-hazardous industrial waste—waste wood—was added, totaling 99.32 metric tons (recycled).

Food Waste Management


Source of waste Performance Indicators Waste Produced Disposal Method
2021 2022 2023 2024
VIP Lounge, Employee Canteen, and In-flight Meal Preparation Amount Generated (ton) 68 142 541(Note1) 461 Recycling: Composting and Pig Farming
Per Capita Generation – VIP Lounge(kg/person) - 0.017 0.034 0.032
In-Flight Meal Service Amount Generated (ton) 177 632 1,610 1,863 Incineration - with energy recovery (in accordance with quarantine requirements)(Note2)
Per Capita-meal Generation – In-flight Service(kg/person-meal) 1.73 0.65 0.33 0.31
Total 245 774 2,151 2,324

Note 1:

Corrected data entry error for 2023.

Note 2:

The scope covers waste generated from the EMO Park, CAL Park, Kaohsiung Branch employee canteen, VIP lounge services across Taiwan, return flights to TPE, as well as meal preparation at TPE. The amount of food waste generated by the employee canteen at the CAL Park has been deducted starting from August 1, 2024, as it has already been processed into soil materials by the food waste machine.

Note 3:

Food waste incinerated in accordance with quarantine regulations, along with most general domestic waste that cannot be recycled, is used for power generation through the cogeneration system at the incineration plant (Waste To Energy, WTE).　It is estimated to contribute 1,010 MWh of electricity, based on the power generation efficiency of Taiwan's incinerators in 2024.

Water Resource Management

The domestic sewage of CAL is collected and sent to the airport sewage treatment plant for treatment, and wastewater is bound to be produced in the aircraft maintenance process, which causes heavy damage to our environment and needs to be properly treated before discharge. Based on the concept of full recycling and treatment, CAL has established two wastewater treatment plants in the maintenance park to handle electroplating wastewater (containing heavy metals such as chromium and cadmium) and organic wastewater produced in the engine and aircraft maintenance processes through tertiary treatment prior to reuse and discharge into the Nankan river basin (level C water body defined by TW EPA). In the first line of control, well-qualified employees are trained to carry out the management and regularly monitor the quality of the discharged water in accordance with the strict regulations. A second and third-level supervision and inspection mechanism of the corporate environmental systems has also covering the issues for close monitoring.


  2022 2023 2024
Tap water consumption Volume (1000 tons)
 99.21 118.16 114.37
Recycled Water Volume (1000 tons)
 20.79 20.84 23.18
Heavy metal wastewater Volume (ton)
 7,619 7,801 5,796
Organic wastewater Volume (ton)
 9,721 9,335 9,325
Wastewater discharge Volume (ton)
17,340 17,136 15,301

Note 1: Scope covered by tap water meters: CAL Park, maintenance plants, Songshan Park, and Taipei Branch. EMO and CAL Park are included in the calculation of the amount of recycled water.
Note 2: Everyday sewage is monitored according to the government's environmental protection regulations, collected and sent through the sewage systems to the sewage treatment plants at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei City, and Kaohsiung City to be processed.
Note 3: The source of tap water is from Taiwan Water Corporation.
Note 4: In 2024, China Airlines’ tap water consumption totaled 114,367 cubic meters, a 3.2% decrease compared to 2023, achieving the 2024 SDG target of a 6% reduction in water use compared to 2018 levels.

2024 Test result The first wastewater plant The second wastewater plant Taiwan National Effluent Standards
PH 7.0 7.4 6~9
Water temperature (℃) 22.6 22.2
  • From October to April: Below 35℃
  • From May to September: Below 38℃
Suspended solid(mg / L) <2.5 3.1 30
Chemical Oxygen Demand, COD(mg / L) 36.3 41.8 100

Announcement and Communication — Build an Image of Environmental Protection

As a member of the transportation services industry, CAL recognizes the need to integrate environmental processes with the nature of the operations and include these processes in the company's services. Therefore, environment management committees are individually established for cargo and passenger services to coordinate and carry out relevant environmental measures. To implement external communication, CAL communicates the corporate concept and performance of environmental protection with stakeholders through social media and in-flight magazines in hopes of creating and spreading the awareness of green consumption.

The key measures carried out in 2024 include:


Green Services and Communication

Passengers and Shippers Share new knowledge on environmental sustainability and increase green consumption awareness In-flight entertainment system, in-flight magazine (Dynasty), official website, and social media posts
  • A selection of 12 in-flight environmental and ecological films.
  • 12 environmental feature articles and reports were shared on social media, reaching a total of approximately 255,641 people.
  • Continue to disclose information of carbon footprintof routes.
  • Set up the "Green Life Select section" on CAL’seMALL website.
Group (joint venture) Companies and Business Partners/th>
  • Enhance environmental risk and opportunity management, strengthen carbon management, and build adaptive capacity
  • Expand sustainable influence by adding value to products and services
 Regular/periodic risk and opportunity surveys, invitations to physical/online courses, annual management communication meetings, etc.
  • CAL Group subsidiaries implemented and expanded the environmental management system in phases.
  • 14 Group partners have completed 100% of the carbon inventory system implementation; In 2024, other Group Subsidiaries reported total emissions of 590,061 tons of CO2e for Categories 1 and 2, and 134,347 tons of CO2e for Categories 3-6.
  • 12 Group partners have set 24 energy and resource management goals, of which 19 have been 100% achieved.
  • The up-to-date "CAL Group Code of Conduct" and "Supplier Code of Conduct"