Independent report

Reviewing aviation's non-CO2 climate impacts and existing metrics

Analyses the understanding of non-carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from aviation and evaluates methods to measure their impacts.

• From: Department for Transport
• Published: 26 June 2025

Documents

Literature review of aviation’s non-CO2 climate impacts and evaluation of existing metrics

PDF, 1.21 MB, 138 pages

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Details

This independent report assesses the non-carbon dioxide (CO2) impacts of aviation on the Earth’s climate system. This includes:

• contrails
• nitrogen oxides (NOx)
• aerosols
• water vapour

It aims to help address this gap in understanding and policy by:

• compiling and analysing the current state of knowledge about the non-CO2 impacts of aviation
• reviewing and evaluating possible methods and metrics to measure and monitor their impacts

KPMG LLP, Cranfield University and SATAVIA produced this report for the Department for Transport, under the previous government before the 2024 General Election. The analysis and findings of the report represent the views of the researchers and should not be considered to represent UK government policy.

Published 26 June 2025