In a world suffering from the climate crisis, the Earth has become a laboratory. Science is mobilizing on two fronts to combat climate change and its impacts expected through the end of this century. The first is to contain and absorb greenhouse gas emissions. The other is to prepare communities for the inevitable impacts. As studies presented at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) showed, there are no magic solutions. Many solutions are needed to the crisis that affects every aspect of life on this planet.
One area that has made the most progress and continues to show promise is solar power generation. Its costs have fallen by 90% in 15 years, becoming the cheapest source of electricity. Sam Stranks of the University of Cambridge points out that silicon panels now cost the same as plywood. The next generation of silicon-perovskite tandem cells promises 50% greater efficiency.
Expectations indicate that solar energy represents 7% of global electricity. This share could grow to 80% by 2100, according to estimates by the Ember Energy Research Foundation.
To contain global warming within the limits of the Paris Agreement, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions is necessary, but not sufficient. A study presented at the COP30 Planetary Science Pavilion and prepared by the Global Climate Research Program among other institutions showed that it has become necessary to develop technologies to effectively remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere, an area known as carbon dioxide removal (CDR).
The rate of decarbonisation appears to compensate for “residual emissions” from sectors where decarbonisation is technologically or economically complex, such as aviation, livestock and heavy industry sectors. In addition, the capacity to remove carbon will be crucial in the long term to reverse potential overshoots, i.e. periods in which the global temperature temporarily exceeds the 1.5°C target, with the aim of subsequent cooling.
CDR techniques are divided into traditional and innovative methods. Traditional methods, such as restoration and forest management, are relatively well established, but still need to be expanded in Brazil and around the world.
One of the world’s most innovative projects is the Great Green Wall in the Sahel, which uses geotechnology and drones to plant billions of trees. The African Union-led initiative seeks to contain the advance of the Sahara, combat desertification and restore degraded lands across an 8,000-kilometre strip.
In Brazil, researchers from the University of the South Pacific and the Universidade Federal de Vicosa (UFV) are coordinating forest restoration projects using drones, increasing the survival rate of seedlings from 30% to more than 80%.
There are also capture methods. Practical implementation has already begun. Companies such as Swiss company Climeworks operate commercial units, such as the one opening in Iceland in 2024, with the capacity to capture 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year. Canadian Carbon Engineering is also advancing this technological frontier. However, national plans, including those in Brazil, fall short of what is necessary, scientists warn.
Adaptation measures are no less important, and their implementation has already begun. In the area of adaptation, early warning systems using artificial intelligence have enabled early evacuations in Mozambique and Bangladesh, while cities such as Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Perth in Australia have implemented green infrastructure that absorbs rainwater and also reduces heat.
Regarding adaptation, Brazil stands out for initiatives that combine tradition and innovation in the agricultural sector. Embrapa developed and showcased a range of varieties adapted to the new climatic conditions at COP30. Examples include Esmeralda rice, which requires less water to produce, and Tomocomac beans, which are biofortified with higher levels of zinc and iron.
— Brazilian agriculture is based on science, and it must continue. “We can have a low-carbon, more resilient agriculture,” Embrapa President Silvia Masroha said at COP30.
Innovation in agricultural adaptation extends to biological inputs. Brazil is the largest global user of these products, which include everything from fertilizers to agricultural biopesticides. For example, corona, a probiotic for plants developed from Caatinga microorganisms, protects the roots from water deficiency. BiomaPhos, a mixture of microorganisms, improves the efficiency of phosphorus uptake by plants. Brazil imports between 80% and 90% of its consumption of these nutrients.
These developments are vital for family farming, which includes 3.7 million rural producers. Rural adaptation is key to our economy and food security, stressed Marcelo Morandi, a researcher at Embrapa who worked with the Itamaraty negotiating team.
Despite existing technological solutions, whether in carbon dioxide removal or adaptation, implementation at an appropriate scale remains a global challenge. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasizes that investments in research and development need to triple in order for promising technologies to leave the laboratory and reach the market.