An event on Contrails co-hosted by the University of Cambridge's Aviation Impact Accelerator and Reviate, a Breakthrough Energy Initiative.
We have 5 years remaining to chart a new, sustainable future for aviation.
With the demand for aviation growing and no radical intervention currently planned, the emissions from aviation are projected to more than double by 2050. Aviation’s climate impact is not just limited to CO2; persistent contrails formed by planes are a significant contributor to aviation’s climate warming impact. The warming they cause at today's traffic levels – whilst uncertain – is thought to be same as 33 billion tonnes of CO2, equivalent to around 16% of the remaining IPCC 1.5 degree carbon budget.
Avoiding contrail warming could be a highly cost-effective strategy in mitigating climate warming. However, beyond aviation industry and policy circles, relatively little is known about contrails, their impact on climate change, and the potential of selective contrail avoidance to reduce global warming.
While global leaders have endorsed a vision of net-zero carbon emissions for the aviation sector, current efforts fall short in both scope and speed. In some cases, proposed solutions could exacerbate the crisis and significantly impact business beyond the aviation sector. The stakes have never been higher: urgent action is needed from many players to shift the sector onto a sustainable path.
Join us to hear about how contrail avoidance is one of the Aviation Impact Accelerator’s four pivotal 2030 Sustainable Aviation Goals, and how bold policy and business changes beyond aviation can help progress to net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
The Aviation Impact Accelerator is supported by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Our 60-minute session will feature a presentation on contrail avoidance and a cross-sectoral panel with an opportunity for Q&A, featuring:
- Kevin Brege, Google
- Aoife O'Leary, Opportunity Green
- Prof Rob Miller, Aviation Impact Accelerator
- Matteo Mirolo, Breakthrough Energy
- Eliot Whittington, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
- More speakers TBC
Contact us
For any queries, please email Jenifer.Elmslie@cisl.cam.ac.uk
Registration
Register for a place here
