{"id":32184,"date":"2023-08-24T03:42:13","date_gmt":"2023-08-24T07:42:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/?post_type=emagazine&#038;p=32184"},"modified":"2023-10-16T07:01:38","modified_gmt":"2023-10-16T11:01:38","slug":"5-technologies-climate-change","status":"publish","type":"emagazine","link":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/5-technologies-climate-change\/32184\/","title":{"rendered":"Can tech help fight climate change? Five innovations making a difference today"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As we say goodbye to the last decade, we usher in a new and crucial one for our planet. According to research, Earth has warmed around <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/uhenergy\/2018\/09\/07\/exactly-how-much-has-the-earth-warmed-and-does-it-matter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">1c since the industrial revolution<\/a>, which is <a href=\"https:\/\/climate.nasa.gov\/effects\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">wreaking havoc on the planet we call home<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This is just the start, according to this fun, but terrifying <a href=\"https:\/\/interactive.carbonbrief.org\/impacts-climate-change-one-point-five-degrees-two-degrees\/?utm_source=web&amp;utm_campaign=Redirect\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">sliding scale<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Since the <a href=\"https:\/\/unfccc.int\/process-and-meetings\/the-paris-agreement\/what-is-the-paris-agreement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">2016 Paris Agreement<\/a> \u2013 which aims to keep global temperature increases under 2c \u2013 climate change has become a critical conversation for all nations and industries. But, as the research of agricultural economist <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ester_Boserup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Ester Boserup<\/a>\u00a0shows, humankind has the potential to adapt using technology to overcome its problems.<\/p>\n<p>These five technologies are designed to help us combat the number one issue we face as a species: global warming.<\/p>\n<h2>Vacuuming gas from the atmosphere<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" type=\"text\/html\" width=\"640\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/63S0t4k_Glw?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the Earth\u2019s atmosphere have risen <a href=\"https:\/\/climate.nasa.gov\/news\/2915\/the-atmosphere-getting-a-handle-on-carbon-dioxide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">48 percent<\/a> since the start of the industrial revolution. We need to start reducing it, with the help of direct air capture (DAC) technology. But what is it?<\/p>\n<p>Giant vacuum cleaners remove CO2 from the atmosphere, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/faqs\/what-carbon-sequestration?qt-news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">sequestering<\/a> it underground and, in some cases, supplying it back to specific industries, like fertilizer for farmers or bubbles for drinks companies to carbonate their products.<\/p>\n<p>One of the companies already using Direct Air Capture tech is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/climeworks-interview\/31741\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Climeworks<\/a>. They\u2019re removing and sequestering thousands of tons of carbon from the atmosphere every year.<\/p>\n<h2>The CO2 fighting resilient crop<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" type=\"text\/html\" width=\"640\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/59K17XTv1Eo?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/arborea.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Arborea<\/a> has developed the world\u2019s first BioSolar Leaf \u2013 which puts a whole new spin on natural photosynthesis. Using unique, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imperial.ac.uk\/ImageCropToolT4\/imageTool\/uploaded-images\/newseventsimage_1556525418432_mainnews2012_x1.jpg\">photovoltaic-like panels<\/a>, coined \u2018bionic leaves,\u2019 BioSolar Leaf uses sunlight to grow microscopic plants which can grow in high concentrations within arid and infertile ground. These tiny plants, in turn, produce healthy food ingredients while generating oxygen and sequestering high amounts of CO2.<\/p>\n<h2>Bees glorious bees<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" type=\"text\/html\" width=\"640\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/O6HLWS86-Y8?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Bees. You\u2019d be hard pushed to find someone who doesn\u2019t appreciate them. But you\u2019d have an equally tricky time sitting down for a coffee with one (the bee, not the person). <a href=\"https:\/\/friendsoftheearth.uk\/bees\/why-do-we-need-bees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">They are vital to a healthy environment<\/a>, but unfortunately, their numbers are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/publication\/6839\/bees-in-decline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">declining globally<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s time to save these winged wanderers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/worldbeeproject.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">The World Bee Project<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oracle.com\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Oracle<\/a> have teamed up to do just that. Their Hive Network uses cloud technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and smart sensors to collect information about honey bee decline to protect them better.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oracle.com\/uk\/corporate\/pressrelease\/ai-smart-hives-network-helps-conserving-global-honey-bee-2018-10-16.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Hive Network<\/a> allows researchers to \u2018listen\u2019 in on honey bee enclosures, analyzing data like wing movement, temperature and honey yield. By monitoring bee colonies at this level, conservationists and beekeepers can detect patterns and predict bee behaviors, giving them vital information to keep our (real-world) honeypots alive.<\/p>\n<h2>Lab-grown cuisine<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" type=\"text\/html\" width=\"640\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_Iv0857U3UE?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Not a new technology by any stretch, but a new way of looking at a traditional industry. Meat has a much higher <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theworldcounts.com\/counters\/world_food_consumption_statistics\/world_meat_consumption_statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">energy footprint<\/a> than any other food type. It takes 75 times more energy to produce than corn and an area seven times the size of the European Union (EU) to produce enough food for the region\u2019s cattle and livestock to eat.<\/p>\n<p>In an attempt to curb our carnivorous habits and save our planet from total annihilation, start-ups like <a href=\"https:\/\/impossiblefoods.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Impossible Foods<\/a> are rearing fake meat \u2013 in labs. They\u2019ve discovered that both animals and plants share a common protein \u2013 heme. In plants, this is leghemoglobin, whereas in animals, like cows, this would be hemoglobin. By taking heme from leghemoglobin and growing it in a lab, the product can be colored, shaped and even cooked like a piece of meat because they share the same properties.<\/p>\n<p>But there\u2019s more. <a href=\"https:\/\/solarfoods.fi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Solar Foods<\/a> are now turning water into different foods by taking bacteria from soil and multiplying it using hydrogen extracted from water \u2013 the result (in this case): flour. Although the flour isn\u2019t licensed for sale currently, it\u2019s been used to make an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2020\/jan\/08\/lab-grown-food-destroy-farming-save-planet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">edible pancake<\/a>. Not a bad start. Eventually, the flour will be used to replace fillers in thousands of food products. It can be modified to mimic milk and eggs, and can even be manipulated to create lab-grown fish with all those healthy omega-3 acids.<\/p>\n<h2>The power of energy storage<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" type=\"text\/html\" width=\"640\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mmrwdTGZxGk?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Many countries around the world have committed to a 100 percent carbon-free future, but how exactly will it happen? With renewables, in the first instance. But we also need to manage better the energy we produce to power the right tech to help us, like electric cars.<\/p>\n<p>The stage is set for <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/5669039\/technology-fight-climate-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">interconnectors<\/a>. These power lines not only move energy across long distances between regional power grids but also store excess energy for later use using lithium-ion batteries \u2013 those used in mobile phones and electric cars. The use of these interconnectors is expected to grow tenfold by 2024. They help to store energy for longer to transport it to places where there\u2019s less produced \u2013 a win-win.<\/p>\n<p>Right now, current storage tech can handle four hours of storage. But, technology firms aim to improve that drastically like <a href=\"https:\/\/energyvault.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Energy Vault<\/a>, a Swiss start-up. They use windy days and automated cranes to stack bricks, recapturing the kinetic energy generated when the bricks fall back to the ground. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mmrwdTGZxGk&amp;feature=emb_title\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Watch the video<\/a> to see it in action.<\/p>\n<h2>Smart cities are the next port of call<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">World Health Organization<\/a> (WHO) has said that climate change could increase deaths by air pollution by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/climate-change-and-health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">hundreds of thousands<\/a> between 2030 and 2050. One of the big problems: congested cities.<\/p>\n<p>Now with advances in artificial intelligence, internet of things (IoT) and smart sensors, smart cities are being designed to help keep earth-defiling emissions down and citizens\u2019 lungs healthy.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/interestingengineering.com\/reducing-air-pollution-in-smart-and-sustainable-future-cities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Hamburg is a case in point<\/a>. A prominent port city in Germany, it\u2019s bustling with shipping containers, cruise ships and other sea vessels \u2013 but struggling to manage increasing air and noise pollution. Air pollution is due to ships burning marine fuels for on-board equipment while they\u2019re docked in the harbor.<\/p>\n<p>After Hamburg Port Authority teamed up with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ship-technology.com\/news\/siemens-cold-ironing-port-of-hamburg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Siemens<\/a> and adopted the Siharbour technology (a mobile-operated generator), Hamburg\u2019s ports can now hook incoming ships onto the mainland power supply, stopping them from burning unnecessary fuel and keeping emissions down.<\/p>\n<h2>What happens next?<\/h2>\n<p>The teams behind these innovations (and countless others) are working around the clock for a better chance of saving our planet. Which ones do you think will help make a difference? And what innovations could your business develop now that could help protect our world?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Climate change is the world\u2019s hottest topic. Literally. What role can the technology industry play? These five technologies are making a difference right now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2520,"featured_media":49229,"template":"","coauthors":[3424],"class_list":{"0":"post-32184","1":"emagazine","2":"type-emagazine","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"emagazine-category-small-business","7":"emagazine-category-tech-for-good","8":"emagazine-tag-climate-change","9":"emagazine-tag-environment"},"hreflang":[{"hreflang":"x-default","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/5-technologies-climate-change\/32184\/"},{"hreflang":"en-us","url":"https:\/\/usa.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/5-technologies-climate-change\/21778\/"},{"hreflang":"en-gb","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/5-technologies-climate-change\/20110\/"}],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/emagazine\/32184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/emagazine"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/emagazine"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32184"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=32184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}