The climate impacts of jet aircraft emissions are summarized in the graphic below, with values identifying the warming or cooling effect of the pollutant produced by air travel.
Reference: Atmosfair, N.D.. Graphic is based upon data from IPCC 2007. Last accessed June 10th, 2024.
Note that the non-CO2 emission-climate forcers identified in the graphic above, are highly uncertain and variable based on many factors relating to when and where fuel combustion occurs (e.g., latitude, region, altitude) and relating to metrics that are not tracked or reported (e.g., water vapor and soot).
There are four main ways in which aviation affects the climate:
- CO2 emissions from jet fuel combustion
- Indirect impacts from the emission of nitrogen oxides
- Emission of aerosols (soot and sulfates)
- Formation of contrails and cirrus clouds (water vapor)
Related pages:
Indirect impacts from nitrogen oxide emissions
Particulate emissions from aviation: sulfates and soot aerosols