How to fight climate change? We list 90 practical steps
A global roadmap of 90 technologies to drive net-zero and climate resilience
How to fight climate change?
Some of the most authoritative climate analysts consider energy-efficiency measures, among the most cost-effective tools available.
Some — such as including solar self-supply and home back-up batteries — are easy, widely available solutions individuals, corporates and organisations.
There are more funding-intensive, but doable state-level responses, including Urban cooling projects, pumped-storage hydro electric power and nuclear power plants.
We list below 90 solutions and strategies at different levels can embrace to do their share in climate-change mitigation.
Key target: Energy efficiency
Why energy efficiency? Because they simultaneously reduce emissions, lower energy bills, and improve energy security..
According to the International Energy Agency, the IPCC and the UN climate body, the world's most important climate-mitigation technologies include:
Renewable energy
Energy efficiency measures
Electrification
Energy storage, hydrogen
Carbon capture
Sustainable transport,
Nature-based carbon-removal solutions.
Here is a broad list of technologies and strategies used to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, and help societies adapt to climate change.
These are based on the most authoritative references, including International Energy Agency (IEA), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).
Clean Energy Generation
Solar Power
Wind Energy
Hydroelectric Power
Geothermal Energy
Tidal Power
Wave Energy
Green Hydrogen
Advanced Nuclear Power
Small Modular Reactors
Energy Storage
Battery energy storage systems (lithium-ion, sodium-ion, solid-state)
Pumped-storage hydropower
Thermal energy storage
Compressed-air energy storage
Hydrogen storage
Gravity-based energy storage
Energy Efficiency
Heat exchangers
Heat pumps
High-efficiency motors
LED lighting
Smart thermostats
Building insulation
Energy-efficient windows
Passive house design
District heating and cooling systems
Waste heat recovery
Transportation
Electric vehicles (EVs)
Electric buses
Electric rail systems
High-speed rail
Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles
Sustainable aviation fuel
Electric aircraft
Electrified ports and shipping
Bicycle infrastructure
Public transit expansion
Industrial Decarbonization
Green steel production
Low-carbon cement
Electrified industrial heating
Carbon-neutral chemicals
Industrial carbon capture
Circular manufacturing
Materials recycling
Carbon Removal and Emissions Reduction
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Direct Air Capture (DAC)
Bioenergy with carbon capture (BECCS)
Enhanced rock weathering
Biochar
Soil carbon sequestration
Blue carbon projects (mangroves, seagrass)
Methane capture from landfills
Agriculture and Food
Precision agriculture
Regenerative farming
Drought-resistant crops
Drip irrigation
Agroforestry
Vertical farming
Alternative proteins
Reduced food waste
Methane-reducing livestock feed additives
Nature-Based Solutions
Reforestation
Afforestation
Mangrove restoration
Wetland restoration
Peatland protection
Urban tree planting
Watershed restoration
Coral reef restoration
Climate Adaptation
Flood barriers and seawalls
Stormwater management systems
Urban cooling projects
Climate-resilient infrastructure
Early-warning systems
Drought management technologies
Desalination powered by renewables
Water recycling and reuse
Digital and Smart Systems
Smart electrical grids
AI-based energy management
Smart meters
Demand-response systems
Building automation systems
Precision weather forecasting
Digital twins for infrastructure
Emerging Technologies
Perovskite solar cells
Fusion energy
Space-based solar power
Long-duration battery storage
Synthetic carbon-neutral fuels
Ocean carbon removal technologies
Advanced geothermal systems
Transparent solar windows
Sources: International Energy Agency (IEA). Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector (2021); International Energy Agency (IEA). Energy Technology Perspectives 2020 (2020); Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Working Group III; UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Policies and Technologies for Mitigation.
