PARIS: The UN agency overseeing international aviation cut the Covid-hit industry some slack this week by modifying a landmark scheme to curb the sector's CO2 emissions.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to change the baseline year used for calculating emissions under the 2016 deal, known as CORSIA.

Before the plan was modified, airlines agreed to cap future CO2 emissions starting next year at levels averaged across 2019 and 2020, or pay into offset schemes if those limits are exceeded.