Dr. Adam Durant is the CEO of SATAVIA, a Cambridge (UK)-based company that develops technologies rooted in science to tackle some of the greatest challenges facing aviation. He also holds an Adjunct Professor academic position at Michigan Technological University (USA). Adam is a respected scientist and entrepreneur with a strong track record of in academia and entrepreneurship, and is committed to using software technology to make a positive impact on the world.

Adam received his PhD in Earth Sciences from Michigan Technological University (USA), where he published fundamental research on volcanic ash clouds and ice cloud microphysics. After his PhD, he held roles at the University of Bristol (UK), University of Cambridge (UK), and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (Norway), ultimately where he worked on developing remote sensing technology for aviation to detect and avoid volcanic ash clouds.

In 2013, Adam founded SATAVIA with the vision of using atmosphere and climate model- and Earth observation-based technologies to digitise the Earth from surface to space. SATAVIA’s technology is used by a wide range of customers, including aircraft operators, Original Equipment Manufacturers, and corporates.

SATAVIA is also developing a voluntary carbon market methodology to provide an incentive for operators to do contrail management to reduce the climate impact of flying. Contrails are linear ice clouds that are formed when airplanes emit water vapor into the cold upper atmosphere. While contrails are not directly harmful to humans, these trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute as much climate warming as all CO2 emissions from aviation.

The methodology is backed by Gold Standard and will create a new type of carbon credit (a ‘Certified Mitigation Outcome Unit’ or CMOU) that specifically rewards airlines for reducing their contrail climate impact. These credits will be traded with businesses and individuals who want to offset their own Scope 3 footprint. This is a significant undertaking that will create a financial incentive for airlines to reduce their non-CO2 climate impact.

SATAVIA’s work on contrail management has the potential to make a significant contribution to the fight against climate change. Adam is a passionate advocate for the use of technology to address the climate challenge and is a frequent speaker at industry events. SATAVIA has been featured in publications such as New Scientist, The Times, The New York Times, and CNN.