Within the next month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is scheduled to release an assessment of the most recent research into how climate warming is affecting people and ecosystems. Then, the panel will be providing an in-depth analysis of the options for curbing emissions and halting global warming.
In addition to 2021's report, the governments of the world will have a tangible amount of research on climate change.
Green technologies such as wind and solar power, efficient lighting, buildings, and vehicles help reduce emissions, but if green energy is to push out fossil fuels and fulfill the rising demand for reliable power in low-income countries, scientists will need to solve a bigger set of problems.
These will consist of finding ways to cut the price of grid-scale electricity storage and address technical challenges that arise when integrating large quantities of intermittent renewable energy.
A new agreement has been issued at COP26, which now requires governments to annually report their climate progress. But science and innovation will still be crucial in driving ever bolder climate policies.
