Earthshot Prize and University of Exeter identify climate recovery solutions

A recent report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warns that global temperatures are likely to exceed the 1.5°C limit set by the Paris Agreement within the next few years. This breach threatens to accelerate irreversible environmental degradation, including rising sea levels, melting ice sheets, and the loss of rainforests and coral reefs.

However, new research conducted by the Earthshot Prize and the University of Exeter suggests a path toward recovery. The study identifies 51 solutions capable of triggering rapid, transformative change over the next five years, categorized into five priority clusters known as ‘Earthshots’.

Professor Tim Lenton of the University of Exeter emphasizes the need to trigger ‘positive tipping points’ where progress becomes self-sustaining and costs decrease as technologies scale. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, have already reached these positive tipping points in several markets. For instance, solar and wind power accounted for 30 percent of the European Union's electricity last year, surpassing fossil fuel generation for the first time.