(Yicai Global) Nov. 12 -- Industrial Bank and Xiamen Air are partnering to launch China’s first carbon-neutral plane tickets, with the funds raised going toward restoring mangrove ecosystems, Shanghai Securities News reported.

The carbon-neutral airline tickets will be optional, the report said today, citing the Fuzhou-based bank. They will cost CNY10 (USD1.60) more than the standard price to offset flight-related carbon emissions and reduce the environmental impact of the journey.

The tickets are based on a carbon emissions compensation mechanism, in which emissions beyond a certain point need to be offset to protect the world’s natural carbon sinks. With the extra money raised from the tickets, Industrial Bank will entrust Xiamen property exchange center to buy marine carbon sinks through the Blue Carbon Fund.

Marine organisms such as coastal mangroves, seagrass beds and salt marshes can capture and store a large amount of carbon, and are part of what is known as the Blue Carbon Sink, according to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme.

Xiamen property exchange center set up the first marine carbon sink trading service platform in China in July. It completed the first transaction in September, with the funds raised going toward the Quanzhou Luoyang River mangrove ecological restoration project.

Editor: Tom Litting