The Solutions We Have and the Innovations We Need
Introduction
Electric vehicles and charging stations are an increasingly common sight in communities. © Getty Images.
The solutions to climate change are already all around us. More and more cars are electric. There are more solar panels on houses and wind turbines in the countryside. Grocery stores are stocking more plant- based meat substitutes.
These everyday solutions are part of the real progress we’re already making. They can be divided into two types: solutions that increase mitigation, and those that aid adaptation. Mitigation solutions mitigate, or lessen, the climate change problem. They do this by reducing the release of carbon-based greenhouse gases, which are the cause of global warming. Adaptation solutions reduce the harm caused by a changing climate. They help us adapt to, or adjust to, our changed conditions. Both mitigation and adaptation solutions have come a long way.
Just how much progress have we made? In 2023, the International Energy Agency (IEA) issued an important report. The report looked at the progress we have made in reaching a key goal. Scientists believe we need to limit global warming to an increase of 1.5° Celsius in average global temperatures. Otherwise, we will face terrible problems. The IEA said we now have technologies that will allow us to cut around 65% of the emissions we need to cut in order to reach that 1.5° C goal.1
This is a major achievement. In 2021, the IEA reported that we had only about 50% of the technology needed to limit warming to 1.5° C. We went from 50% to 65% in just two years. That is an impressive jump!
Still, 65% is not enough. To reach our goal, we’re going to need to develop new technologies and practices.
Let’s take a look at the climate solutions we have and the innovations we need.
The solutions we have
When it comes to reducing carbon emissions, perhaps the greatest progress we’ve made is in the area of renewable energy. Renewable energy is energy that comes from a source that cannot be used up, such as wind or the sun. The cost of renewable energy technologies like wind power and solar power has gone down steeply in recent years. Companies have learned how to produce solar and wind systems more cheaply. This has allowed them to lower their prices. Lower prices led to more use of these systems, which led to even lower prices. That in turn led to more use, and so on. This is known as a positive feedback loop. And the results are striking. Today, solar power is the cheapest source of energy on the planet, and along with wind power it is more and more widely used.
Other climate solutions have helped us adapt to a changing climate. Some of the best adaptation solutions are the simplest ones. For example, we can restore wetlands, which help prevent flooding. Other solutions can help protect cities. We can design buildings, roads, and bridges to be better able to survive extreme weather. Smart city planning can make a difference too. For example, cities can stop building along large bodies of water. Since climate change can cause health problems, vaccines and high-quality healthcare are also increasingly important adaptation solutions.
As this chart demonstrates, the price of solar and wind energy has seen huge reductions in cost in the last decade. The cost of fossil fuels, on the other hand, has remained constant. By Our World in Data, CC BY. Explore the article here.
Global installations of selected clean energy technologies, 2010-2022. These charts show the positive trends in adoption of four climate mitigation solutions. By IEA, CC BY 4.0. Explore the full report here.
The innovations we need
It’s wonderful that we already have so many solutions. But these solutions aren’t enough to solve all our problems. We’re still going to need more innovation.
The development of new climate solutions is known as climate innovation. This innovation is not just about inventing new devices. It’s also about new approaches to government policies, business models, and systems. Innovation means both new technologies and new ways of doing and thinking about things.
What should the goals of innovation be? To start, we need to protect those whom climate change is putting at the greatest risk. We need to make sure everyone who lives in areas experiencing extreme drought, flooding, and severe weather has enough food and fresh water. This will require a wide range of agricultural innovations. We’ll need to develop high-yield, drought-resistant, and flood-resistant crops. These plants must be well-suited to the specific regions in which they’re grown.
We also need to develop new technologies that will reduce the amount of carbon being released into the atmosphere. The process of replacing carbon-based energy with other sources of energy is known as decarbonization. Electric cars are one solution, but they are not enough. We need to develop hydrogen fuel and advanced biofuels to power airplanes and trucks that travel long distances. Airplanes and trucks are simply too big and travel too far to run on electricity. Steel production and cement production are also major problems.
When steel and cement are manufactured, carbon dioxide is released as a result of chemical reactions that are part of the manufacturing process. So, we’ll need to develop new ways of making these products.
At a plant in Germany, hydrogen fuel cells are being built for use in vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cells are lighter, more compact, and have greater range than lithium-ion batteries, making them promising solutions for transportation needs like long-distance trucking. © Getty Images.
What’s next?
To speed up the pace of innovation, governments and companies must spend heavily on research and on developing new technologies. And when innovative new products become available, governments and companies must buy them, even if the products are expensive at first. This will increase demand for the products. And that in turn will lower prices for everyone over time.
But not all countries can afford to pay for innovation. We’ll need to provide money to poorer countries to help them adapt to climate change and decarbonize their economies. Wealthy countries have a responsibility to support adaptation efforts and disaster-relief funds in poorer countries. Wealthy countries like the US benefited the most from industrialization and did the most to cause climate change. It must make sure that poorer countries can continue to develop in a sustainable way. Sustainable development is a form of development that doesn’t use up resources or cause more problems.
To ensure everyone’s health and well-being, we need to value adaptation and mitigation efforts equally and make wise decisions. Our actions now will affect everyone’s future.
1 IEA (2021), Net Zero by 2050, IEA, Paris. https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by-2050
Molly Sinnott
Molly Sinnott is a member of the Climate Project editorial team. She was previously a classroom reading and writing teacher, specializing in supporting students in executive-function skills development. She focuses on building approachable and inclusive content for a diverse range of students.
Credit: “The Solutions We Have and the Innovation We Need”, Molly Sinnott / OER Project, https://www.oerproject.com/
Image credits
This work is licensed under CC BY 4.0 except for the following:
Cover image: Solar farm and wind turbines near the highway road interchange. © Adam Smigielski / E+ / Getty Images.
Electric vehicles and charging stations are an increasingly common sight in communities. © seksan Mongkhonkhamsao / Moment / Getty Images.
As this chart demonstrates, the price of solar and wind energy has seen huge reductions in cost in the last decade. The cost of fossil fuels, on the other hand, has remained constant. By Our World in Data, CC BY. https://ourworldindata.org/cheap-renewables-growth
Global installations of selected clean energy technologies, 2010-2022. These charts show the positive trends in adoption of four climate mitigation solutions. By IEA, CC BY 4.0. https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/7c02e774-9d1b-4398-9313-840913e1b4e6/NetZeroRoadmap_AGlobalPathwaytoKeepthe1.5CGoalinReach-2023Update.pdf
At a plant in Germany, hydrogen fuel cells are being built for use in vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cells are lighter, more compact, and have greater range than lithium-ion batteries, making them promising solutions for transportation needs like long-distance trucking. © Marijan Murat / picture alliance via Getty Images.
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