Sustainability In The Air
Aviation has many paths to net zero, and few are straightforward. Sustainability in the Air cuts through the noise with clear, expert-led conversations on what’s actually advancing a more sustainable future for flight in one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise.
💚 Twice a month, SimpliFlying CEO Shashank Nigam speaks with airline, airport, travel, and energy leaders to unpack the decisions shaping aviation’s climate future.
💚 Each month, our Head of Sustainability Dirk Singer adds a Signal episode spotlighting the tech founders building aviation’s next wave of climate innovation.
Whether you work in aviation, advise it, or simply care about the future of travel, this podcast is for you.
For enquiries: podcast@simpliflying.com
For more content on sustainable aviation, visit simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.
Sustainability In The Air
How Contrails.org aims to turn contrail research into practical climate action
In this episode, we speak with Matteo Mirolo, Director of Strategy & External Relations at Contrails.org, a science-led nonprofit initiative aimed at transforming contrail research into practical climate action.
Mirolo discusses:
- The substantial climate impact of contrails, which are responsible for 1-2% of human-caused global warming and have roughly the same warming effect as all aviation CO2 emissions since the jet age.
- The concentrated nature of the problem, with just 5% of flights causing about 80% of aviation’s contrail warming effect, primarily over Europe, North America, and the North Atlantic.
- Contrails.org’s three-pillar approach focusing on science (improving understanding of contrail impacts), technology (developing open-source tools and protocols), and adoption (raising awareness and fostering incentives).
- The cost-effectiveness of contrail mitigation compared to other decarbonisation options, with studies suggesting only 0.11% extra fuel burn across airline fleets.
- The vision for seamless integration into airline operations, where contrail avoidance becomes as routine as avoiding turbulence or adverse weather.
Contrails.org seeks to be an open, collaborative space, with Mirolo likening it to “a tent under which people can put their furniture.” Its goal is to address the contrail issue through collective effort, recognising that effective management requires coordination across the aviation sector.
If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with Alejandra Martín Frías, Head of Sustainability Research at FLIGHTKEYS, who shared insights into the company’s research on contrail avoidance. Check it out here.
Learn more about the innovators who are navigating the industry’s challenges to make sustainable aviation a reality, in our new book ‘Sustainability in the Air’. Click here to learn more.
Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.
Links & More:
How airplane contrails are helping make the planet warmer - Yale e360
Understanding contrail management: opportunities, challenges, and insights - RMI
