IATA has called for urgent action to deepen understanding of contrail formation and climate impact of aviation to develop effective mitigation measures.
A new report for the airline body highlights gaps in understanding contrail science, particularly the lack of high-resolution, real-time data on atmospheric conditions hindering precise contrail forecasting.
Recommendations in the report include focusing on reducing CO2 emissions in the short term, establishing standards for data transmission and continuously validating models in the mid-term, and ensuring continuous data provision and reliable models in the long term.
Willie Walsh of IATA said more collaboration was needed to address contrail emissions effectively and urged stakeholders to work together to resolve gaps in the science.
