The researchers have developed a model called AviTeam that calculates the fuel burned for individual flights based on their trajectory. This model is the first to provide information on greenhouse gas emissions from aviation for 45 lesser-developed countries that have never inventoried these emissions.
The study found that the US, China, and Great Britain were the top contributors to global CO2 emissions from aviation, with shares of 22%, 14%, and 4%, respectively. Among developing countries, India was the third-largest contributor with a share of nearly 3%, following China at 14% and the UAE at over 3%.
The study also found that India's share in global CO2 emissions from domestic aviation was the third highest at 1.5%. The researchers believe that their model can help inform policy and improve future negotiations on reducing aviation emissions.
The ability to calculate nearly real-time aviation emissions could also be an important tool as the industry works to decarbonize. The researchers believe that their model can provide instant emissions modeling, allowing for the calculation of emissions from global aviation as it happens.