The Commission and EUROCONTROL update their IT tool to calculate non-CO₂ aviation effects on climate – now available to users

The European Commission and EUROCONTROL have released a second version (V2) of NEATS - the Non-CO₂ Aviation Effects Tracking System - an IT tool for monitoring, reporting, and verifying the non-CO₂ climate impacts of aviation. Aircraft operators can now calculate the impact of their flights by providing data they collect. The results generated at this stage are indicative.

NEATS includes a set of scientifically established models to calculate per flight climate effects. The tool relies largely on the PyContrails Python library, which models contrails. Further refinements of functions and data parameters in the NEATS V2 are underway in preparation for the release of third version (V3). V3 will support the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) reporting for 2025 emissions and will introduce dedicated interfaces for the aircraft operators, verifiers and competent authorities.

Developed under the Cooperation Agreement between EUROCONTROL and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate Action, this new version of NEATS is the result of close coordination with key stakeholders (airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers) and is supported by work from To70, AerLabs, the German national weather services (DWD) and aerospace centre (DLR). In collaboration with the Swiss authorities, this version also covers flights reported under the Swiss Emission Trading System.

NEATS is a key step towards a formalised and coherent approach to addressing aviation's full climate impact and improving the sector's sustainability. By streamlining and, where possible, automating the monitoring, reporting and verification of non-CO₂ aviation effects - such as contrails and nitrogen oxides (NOx) - the tool supports the implementation of the EU ETS and reinforces the EU's role as a global leader in climate innovation.