We are proud to announce that Manuel Soler, Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and director of our research group (Aircraft Operations Lab), has been nominated for the 2026 edition of the Frontiers Planet Prize. This international award recognizes outstanding scientific work aimed at finding scalable solutions to help keep humanity safely within the planetary boundaries.
With this nomination, Professor Soler stands as the sole Spanish representative in this edition, with his research selected as one of the 25 global finalists announced today, on Earth Day. The work, conducted alongside UC3M professor Abolfazl Simorgh, has brought to light a reality that the industry cannot ignore: aviation’s true impact lies in what we don’t see—or rather, in what we leave behind.
Beyond CO2: Addressing Contrails and Non-CO2 Effects
While the aerospace industry has historically focused on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, research from our lab underscores Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings that non-CO2 effects—particularly contrails—actually drive two-thirds of the sector’s net climate footprint. These white streaks in the sky only form under very specific weather conditions, but their ability to trap heat is massive.
Key Findings: Maximum Impact at Minimum Cost
A primary conclusion of this research is its economic and operational viability, as it does not require a restructuring of the global aircraft fleet to mitigate climate change. Key results include:
- Targeted Efficiency: Adjusting the trajectory of just 5% to 10% of flights—those responsible for the majority of contrail formation—could reduce the total climate footprint of European aviation by 12.5% to 21.3%.
- Minimal Operational Cost: This significant mitigation would be achieved with a minimal increase in operating costs for airlines, estimated between 0.2% and 2%.
- Short-term Opportunity: As Professor Soler notes, the vast majority of climate impact is caused by a very small fraction of flights in climate-sensitive regions. Failing to address these “hotspots” means missing the greatest current opportunity to stabilize the aviation sector’s impact on the planet’s climate in the short term.
Excellence in Aerospace Research
This recognition is not an isolated event. Under the leadership of Manuel Soler, whose career was previously recognized by SESAR and the ENAIRE Foundation, the Aircraft Operations Lab coordinates cutting-edge projects such as E-CONTRAIL 2 and CLIMATION. The goal is clear: to turn air traffic management into a tool for immediate planetary protection.
The selection process for the Frontiers Planet Prize involved evaluation by the Spanish Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences before reaching the international jury. In June, the three international winners will be announced; they will each receive $1 million to scale up their solutions. But beyond the prize, the nomination validates a vision: sustainability in aviation is not a distant goal, but a matter of mathematical optimization applied here and now.
Visit the Frontiers Planet Prize website to discover the 4th edition National Champions: https://www.frontiersplanetprize.org/editions-fourth-edition
Watch the interview to Manuel Soler:
Scientific reference: Simorgh, A. & Soler, M. (2025). “Climate-optimized flight planning can effectively reduce the environmental footprint of aviation in Europe at low operational costs”. Communications Earth & Environment. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02031-8