E
Sustainable Environment
S
Prosperous Society
G
Corporate Governance

Green Performance

Environmental protection is our important cornerstone for corporate sustainable development that we continue to create green performance. For more information on environmental performance, refer to Appendix Environmental Performance.

Achievements in Environmental Sustainability

CAL continued to focus on the following tasks: improving environmental and energy management, strengthening carbon management, building capacity for supply chain environmental management, and promoting environmental awareness. Through Corporate Environmental Committee and its five environmental management committees and functional task forces, CAL continues to improve and enhance environmental performance and ecological efficiency.

01

Perfecting Environmental and Energy Management Operation

Energy Management Water Resource Management Air Pollution Prevention Noise Control Wastewater Management Waste Management

02

Consolidating Climate Risk Management and Carbon Reduction

Key Achievement : Concern for Climate Change

03

Building Capacity for Value Chain Environmental Management

Key achievements : Building Capacity for Value Chain Environmental Management

04

Strengthening Awareness and Brand Image of Corporate Environmental Protection

Key achievements : "CAL ECO Path" for corporate headquarters environmental actions
Key achievements : CAL participated in SkyTeam “The Sustainable Flight Challenge, TSFC”.

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 2022 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
  • Septic tanks
 Quantitative analysis Annual GHG inventory and external verification 2009 CO2 , N2O,
CH4, HFCs,
 1~2% biofuel, SAF

Note: Bureau of Energy, Ministry of Economic Affairs has postponed to implement biofuel policy since May 2014.

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 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Category 1 China Airlines Flight operations 7,229,903 7,059,083 5,787,751 5,875,531 5,435,050
Ground Operations in Taiwan 3,511 4,981 3,051 2,897 4,041
Ground Operations in Outstations (Note) 1,379 1,395 1,012.21 748 1,294
Mandarin Airlines Flight operations 255,241 237,699 107,505 63,987 89,500
Tigerair Taiwan Flight operations 336,684 362,794 53,514 988 31,306
Category 2 China Airlines Ground operations 19,949 18,169 17,572 16,697 16,468
Categories 3-6(Note) China Airlines Ground operations 1,644,656 1,607,690 1,326,227 1,364,016 1,240,935

Note 1: The statistics contain 100% of the aviation fuels used by China Airlines, Mandarin Airlines, and Tigerair Taiwan.

Note 2: GHG emissions assessment agencies: DNV GL.

Note 3: 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. Except for the outstation ground operation data (<0.03%), the data of Categories 1 to 6 have passed third-party verification.

GHG Emissions: Scope 1、Scope 2


2022
2009

Aviation Fuel Performance

China Airlines
  • Unit: ton
  • Unit: GJ
Mandarin Airlines
  • Unit: ton
  • Unit: GJ
Tigerair Taiwan
  • Unit: ton
  • Unit: GJ
China Airlines
Mandarin Airlines
Tigerair Taiwan
China Airlines
Mandarin Airlines
Tigerair Taiwan
China Airlines Aircraft
China Airlines Passenger Aircraft
China Airlines Cargo Aircraft
Mandarin Airlines
Tigerair Taiwan
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

30.8 ton

Sustainable Aviation Fuels (Cumulative three-year data)

13,279 kWh

Elevator power regeneration system (Cumulative three-year data)

Non-renewable Fuels (Unit: MWh)
Renewable Fuels (Unit: MWh)
  • Non-renewable Energy
  • Renewable Energy
Electricity
(Purchased)
(Unit: MWh)
Elevator Power Regeneration System (Recycled)
(Unit: KWh)
  • Electricity (Purchased)
  • Elevator Power Regeneration System (Recycled)

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: Renewable fuels include sustainable aviation fuels and solar photovoltaic.

Note 3: The scope of purchased power covers the areas of HQ Park, Taipei Branch Office, Songshan Park, maintenance Park (Hangars 2 and 3, Engine Maintenance Plant), and Kaohsiung Branch Office.

Note 4: Since the fourth quarter of 2017, 2 sets of the elevator power regeneration system have been installed at the Crew Center Building with high utility of elevators. Electricity is recycled and reused through the anti-motoring effect and the internal grid.

Carbon Footprint , Carbon Label and ECO Travel

Since 2015, CAL has calculated and updated the carbon footprint of its own international flights based on the calculation method announced by ICAO and IATA, and it has also been disclosed on the company’s corporate social responsibility website. In 2016, CAL formulated the Product Category Rule (PCR) to establish the operating guidelines for aviation industry to calculate carbon footprint. In 2017, CAL assisted Mandarin Airlines (MDA) to complete the carbon footprint calculation and received certification of the demonstrative route from Songshan to Kinmen in accordance with the carbon footprint guidelines established by the Environmental Protection Administration (Taiwan EPA) and the said PCR. MDA of CAL Group is the world‘s first airline that receives both ISO 14067 3rd party certificate and the carbon label granted by Taiwan EPA. In 2020, MDA with helps and supports from CAL further obtained the Taiwan EPA “carbon reduction label”, making it the world’s first airline to receive this label. In 2021, MDA was highly appreciated by the low-carbon review committee of the Taiwan EPA for its promoting low carbon products, and was selected as the year’s Low Carbon Product Merit Award.MDA is the only award-winning aviation group in Taiwan to date.

Note: Mandarin Airlines calculated the carbon footprint of all domestic routes (learn more).

Carbon Label Life Cycle


"ECO Travel Carbon Offsetting Program" is a voluntary carbon offset service introduced by CAL in collaboration with internationally renowned environmental organizations. It allows passengers and cargo owners to calculate the carbon footprint generated by their flights or transportation using a carbon footprint calculator. They can then purchase carbon offset credits from carefully selected, high-quality, and sustainable projects managed by professional organizations. These credits are used to offset the carbon emissions, making the journey of passengers and cargo carbon-neutral or zero-carbon emissions, thus contributing to environmental conservation efforts. CAL has also extended this initiative to its group subsidiaries, Mandarin Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan, making it the only airline in Taiwan to promote carbon offset programs for domestic flights and low-cost carriers.

Use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)

CAL is the first Taiwanese airline to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Since 2017, when operating new aircraft such as the A350-900 and A321neo, CAL has been using SAF, which not only reduces carbon emissions by 8% compared to traditional fuel but also contributes to the accumulation of experience in SAF management, technical certification, and supplier collaboration. Through tangible fuel-saving and carbon reduction actions, CAL is committed to achieving its 2050 net-zero emissions target. Additionally, in 2018, 2019, and 2022, CAL held Sustainable Alternative Fuel seminars and expert consultation meetings, inviting government, industry, academia, and research institutions to discuss domestic and international experiences and trends in Sustainable Aviation Fuels and explore practical and feasible strategies. CAL will continue to engage with stakeholders and discuss SAF development through various channels to foster the development of SAF strategies in Taiwan.

In 2022, CAL set and announced its short, medium, and long-term SAF usage target: 2% by 2025, 5% by 2030, 40% by 2040, and 65% by 2050. CAL actively responds to the international decarbonization trends and steadily progresses towards the 2050 net-zero carbon target.

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, encouraging the shutdown of one to two auxiliary power units (APUs) during taxiing, and improving the efficiency of ground power units. Currently, all China Airlines' A350-900 aircraft have been fully deployed, replacing the A340-300 and 747-400 for flight operations. The retirement plan for the 737 and A330 passenger aircraft has also been initiated, aiming to provide passenger and cargo transportation services with a rejuvenated and modernized fleet. Furthermore, CAL is continuously optimizing its fleet operations, and the introduction of the A321neo new-generation aircraft since the end of 2021 is a significant step in that direction. The A321neo offers several advantages compared to the previous generation narrow-body aircraft. It can reduce noise footprint by up to 75% and lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 50%. These improvements highlight CAL' commitment to operating a more environmentally friendly and sustainable fleet.Mandarin Airlines has fully updated its fleet and has introduced ATR72-600 fuel efficient passenger aircrafts from 2017; as the end of 2020, nine new ATR aircraft have been introduced. Tigerair Taiwan has 11 A320neo aircraft and plans to introduce 15 A320neo aircraft. By introducing these next-generation new fleets, CAL group could further improve fuel efficiency and reduce NOx emissions at takeoff and landings.


Corporate NOx and SOx emissions

Passenger aircraft   2019 2020 2021 2022
SOx Emissions (ton)
 58.95 30.41 27.43 29.59
Emission efficiency (g/RTK) 0.0122 0.0133 0.0150 0.0130
NOx Emissions (ton)
 614.49 317.03 34.18 120.64
Emission efficiency (g/RPK) 0.0149 0.0400 0.0538 0.0183
Cargo aircraft   2019 2020 2021 2022
SOx Emissions (ton)
 13.09 14.58 16.06 13.03
Emission efficiency (g/RTK) 0.0031 0.0030 0.0028 0.0028
NOx Emissions (ton)
 136.48 152.04 167.43 135.84
Emission efficiency (g/RTK) 0.0321 0.0317 0.0290 0.0291

Note 1: SOx is calculated based on the methodology of the American Environmental Protection Agency: Total annual emissions = Number of flights x 0.000891, where 0.000891 is the emission factor (tons / LTO).

Note 2: NOx is calculated based on the methodology of the American Environmental Protection Agency: Total annual emissions = Number of flights x 0.009288, where 0.009288 is the emission factor (tons / LTO).

Note 3: LTO refers to the landing take-off.

Note 4: Mandarine Airlines and TigerAir Taiwan have no freight aircraft.

Note 5: Since 2021, adjustments have been made to the scope of calculation for NOx emissions and efficiency to align with the actual operational conditions during the pandemic.

Passenger aircraft   2020 2021 2022
SOx Emissions (ton)
 25.14 16.85 24.99
Emission efficiency (g/RTK) 0.5307 0.6549 0.6070
NOx Emissions (ton)
 262.10 175.61 260.49
Emission efficiency (g/RPK) 0.5109 0.6802 0.5908

Note 1: SOx is calculated based on the methodology of the American Environmental Protection Agency: Total annual emissions = Number of flights x 0.000891, where 0.000891 is the emission factor (tons / LTO).

Note 2: NOx is calculated based on the methodology of the American Environmental Protection Agency: Total annual emissions = Number of flights x 0.009288, where 0.009288 is the emission factor (tons / LTO).

Note 3: LTO refers to the landing take-off.

Note 4: Mandarine Airlines and TigerAir Taiwan have no freight aircraft.

Note 5: Since 2021, adjustments have been made to the scope of calculation for NOx emissions and efficiency to align with the actual operational conditions during the pandemic.

Passenger aircraft   2020 2021 2022
SOx Emissions (ton)
 2.89 0.04 1.24
Emission efficiency (g/RTK) 0.0486 0.0838 0.0458
NOx Emissions (ton)
 30.09 0.46 12.95
Emission efficiency (g/RPK) 0.0454 0.0784 0.0434

Note 1: SOx is calculated based on the methodology of the American Environmental Protection Agency: Total annual emissions = Number of flights x 0.000891, where 0.000891 is the emission factor (tons / LTO).

Note 2: NOx is calculated based on the methodology of the American Environmental Protection Agency: Total annual emissions = Number of flights x 0.009288, where 0.009288 is the emission factor (tons / LTO).

Note 3: LTO refers to the landing take-off.

Note 4: Mandarine Airlines and TigerAir Taiwan have no freight aircraft.

Note 5: Since 2021, adjustments have been made to the scope of calculation for NOx emissions and efficiency to align with the actual operational conditions during the pandemic.

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 air transport service as the core business of the aviation industry, CAL has attended meetings organized by the IATA Cabin Waste Task Force. Since 2017, CAL has collected the total weight of cabin waste and waste recycled as the basis for arranging management strategies. In 2019, CAL has further formed a (in-flight) Waste Task Force for cabin waste management.


Waste Management Performance

(Unit: Tons)

Item Waste produced Disposal Method
2020 2021 2022
General domestic waste 116 94 113 Incineration - with energy recovery
425 410 629 Incineration - without energy recovery (Delivered to the airport incineration plant in accordance with regulations and recommended the installation of electricity generation facilities)
Resource recycling 581 507 622 Recycling and reuse - resource recycling
Kitchen waste / waste materials 283 68 142 Recycling and reuse - Compost / hog raising
735 177 632 Incineration - with energy recovery (in accordance with quarantine requirements)
Hazardous industrial waste 13 12 12 Other treatment - heat treatment (e.g., sludge from electroplating)
1 1 2 Other treatment - offshore treatment (e.g., batteries that contain cadmium)
Non-hazardous industrial waste 100 100 147 Recycling and reuse - resource recycling (e.g., waste lubricants)
85 64 47 Other treatment - heat treatment (e.g., waste paint)
Total 2,339 1,433 2,346 -

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 statistics from service segments: EMO, CAL Park, Kaohsiung Branch, VIP lounges of four stations (Taoyuan, Songshan, Kaohsiung and Tainan), and Taoyuan Airport in-bound flight services. The scope includes cargo services starting from 2020.

Note 3: Amended the data for 2021 resource recycling (including food waste) in accordance with supplier’s adjustments for the calculation period.

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.


  2021 2022
Tap water consumption Volume (1000 tons)
 112.77 99.21
Recycled Water Volume (1000 tons)
 14.23 20.79
Saving from Advanced Fuselage cleaning procedure/Eco-friendly water-saving technology (tons)
1,344 1,414
Heavy metal wastewater Volume (ton)
 7,715 7,619
Organic wastewater Volume (ton)
 9,224 9,721
Wastewater discharge Volume (ton)
16,939 17,340

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.

2022 Test result The first wastewater plant (Jan to Jun) The second wastewater plant (Jan to Jun) The first wastewater plant (July to Dec) The second wastewater plant (July to Dec) Taiwan National Effluent Standards
PH 7.4 7.8 7.6 7.7 6~9
Water temperature (℃) 26.6 27.2 24.3 23.8
  • From October to April: Below 35℃
  • From May to September: Below 38℃
Suspended solid(mg / L) 5.5 2.3 1.3 1.3 30
Chemical Oxygen Demand, COD(mg / L) 20 5.8 9.8 10.8 100

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 2022 include:


Green Services
Phase of Journey Outcomes
Ground Operations
  • Promoted digital boarding procedures and used 100% FSC-certified paper for printing boarding passes
  • Adopted digital operations for the menu services in the VIP lounge in Taoyuan Airport and implemented contactless services.
  • Provided and promoted the voluntaryECO TravelCarbon Offsetting Program to passengers / shippers / Mandarin Airlines / Tigerair Taiwan.
  • Added the warning of the embargo on transport of endangered species on the company website / airport check-in counter and invite passengers to join the global fight against illegal wildlife trade.
  • Mandarin Airlines received the carbon label and carbon reduction label from Taiwan EPA and joined the ECO Points (Green Points)campaign for fare discounts.
Takeoff / Landing Process
  • Continued the practice of closing windows during summer to lower the temperature of the cabin and thus reduce the cost of the use of the auxiliary power unit (APU) and airport energy use.
  • Implementing green flight operations, such as conducting continuous descent operations (CDO) when conditions permit, to achieve fuel efficiency targets.
During flights
  • Inflight catering servicesconsistently prioritizes the use of locally sourced seasonal ingredients, aiming to achieve a zero carbon footprint targets, and prohibits the use of endangered species as food.
  • Promoted electronic services and Online Pre-selection meal services for the main dishes of in-flight meals.
  • To support sustainable development and digitalization trends, we launched theDynasty Sky Reading to reduce the weight of aircrafts and reduce fuel consumption
  • Adopt paperless and digital operating procedures for in-flight services, use eco-friendly catering supplies, and promote e-commerce (eMall) and green consumption.
  • Implement and expand the participation in the Pacific Greenhouse Gases Measurement Program (PGGM) initiative
  • Gradually expand the service items in “The Sustainable Flight Challenge” (refer to the Sustainable Flight Challenge page).