From Lab To Lifeline, 10 Underused Technological Innovations That Can Help Fight Climate Change: WEF
The WEF report identifies ten existing but underutilised technologies that can mitigate climate change and restore planetary health across food, water, energy, and materials.
Published : October 16, 2025 at 1:59 PM IST
Hyderabad: The World Economic Forum (WEF) and science publisher Frontiers unveiled a new report, titled "10 Emerging Technology Solutions for Planetary Health," mapping out a wave of already-existing, yet underused, innovations that can accelerate global climate action.
Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils in Dubai, the report frames its solutions against a dire backdrop: global temperatures stayed at 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for all of 2024, putting the world on a catastrophic path toward nearly 3°C of warming by 2100.
This report maps a wave of emerging scientific and technological solutions across four key systems—food, water, energy and materials to safeguard planetary health and curb destructive human activity. Targeting climate disruption issues like droughts and rising seas, these innovations include technologies such as carbon-locking concrete, sustainable desalination, vehicles that feed the electric grid, and more.
"The urgent realities of climate change are clear, but what is less visible are the technologies already available and how they can be used in new ways to deliver solutions," said Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. "This research provides global leaders with the foresight they need to act at the necessary speed and scale."
The path from lab to large-scale impact
The WEF report argues that technological breakthroughs in food, water, energy, and materials can not only reduce emissions but also help societies adapt to and repair environmental damage. It identifies ten transformative technologies that have the potential to change how the world powers homes, produces food, and secures freshwater. Although the underlying science is well established, many of these critical innovations remain underutilised.
The report stresses that the key to climate progress now lies in implementation. Realising the potential of these solutions at scale will require political commitment, financial and material investment, and greater public awareness.
Key Findings and Context
Urgency of Planetary Health: The report emphasises that the planet's "vital signs are flashing red" with the transgression of seven planetary boundaries. The focus is on technologies that can not only reduce emissions but also help societies adapt, repair environmental damage, and support long-term sustainability.
Selection Criteria: The ten technologies were selected based on novelty, scientific depth, and their potential to deliver measurable societal benefit and scale. The analysis for each solution includes the science behind the innovation and what is needed for success, such as policy support, investment, and governance frameworks.
The 10 Emerging Technology Solutions for Planetary Health
Precision Fermentation: Animal-free proteins are revolutionising food, materials, and medicine. By reducing reliance on feed crops, they cut water and energy use and lower methane emissions from livestock.
Green Ammonia Production: Cleaner methods for producing ammonia can replace energy-intensive traditional processes, reducing emissions and pollution while enabling sustainable agriculture and cleaner shipping fuels.
Automated Food Waste Upcycling: Advanced sorting systems can now identify and separate food waste—even when spoiled or mixed with packaging—transforming it into compost, animal feed, or new products.
Methane Capture and Utilisation: Innovative tools detect and capture methane leaks from farms, landfills, and industrial sites before they reach the atmosphere—offering one of the fastest ways to slow global warming.
Green Concrete: Next-generation concrete incorporates recycled materials and can even sequester carbon, making construction more sustainable while preserving valuable resources.
Next-Gen Bi-Directional Charging: Emerging charging systems enable electricity to flow both into and out of batteries, enhancing grid flexibility and stability—whether the storage comes from EVs, homes, or other sources.
Real-Time Earth Observation: New satellites and sensors monitor floods, droughts, and deforestation in real time, delivering sharper data that empowers governments, businesses, and communities to act swiftly.
Modular Geothermal Energy: Compact, factory-built geothermal systems offer constant renewable power almost anywhere, adding reliable, clean energy to the global mix.
Regenerative Desalination: Breakthrough desalination technologies produce clean drinking water using a fraction of the energy required by conventional methods—bringing sustainable water access to arid regions.
Soil Health Tech Convergence: A fusion of sensors, beneficial microbes, and AI is helping restore degraded soils, boosting carbon storage, improving crop yields, and supporting resilient ecosystems.
