T&E: Contrail mitigation could buy aviation time to decarbonise

Transport and Environment (T&E) reported (22-Sep-2026) contrail mitigation could provide the aviation industry with time to decarbonise. T&E stated that contrail mitigation starting in 2030 and targeting a 50% reduction of contrail warming by 2040 could reduce global warming by approximately 0.025 degrees Celsius in 2050 and 0.049 degrees Celsius in 2070. T&E called for increased investment in large scale tests and contrail research, emphasising that incomplete knowledge should not delay avoidance measures. The organisation noted that if aviation growth continues unchecked, global aviation energy consumption could more than double by 2050 compared to 2019. T&E stated that halving global contrail warming at current traffic levels could avoid between 67 and 225 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent p/a over a 100 year period. [more - Aviation Week]