COP29: Climate Action On Contrails - A Simple Solution With A Strong Impact

Only recently have contrails - the vapour trails left by aircrafts - been studied for their impact on climate change. These streaks of condensed water vapour may seem innocuous, but the artificial layers of clouds contribute significantly to greenhouse gas trapping.

For the first time in a UN Climate Conference, an event on contrails was co-hosted by the University of Cambridge's Aviation Impact Accelerator and Reviate, a Breakthrough Energy Initiative, at COP29, in Baku.

The challenge of reducing contrail-related warming lies in understanding where and when these trails are most likely to form. Factors like geography, altitude, latitude, and even time of day play critical roles. For example, flights over the North Atlantic and Europe have a higher likelihood of producing warming contrails, particularly during winter and night-time hours. By using advanced weather prediction models, aviation experts are now able to identify the atmospheric conditions that foster