1k solutions to fight climate change

Serial pioneer Bertrand Piccard today reached his goal to identify and showcase 1000 innovative and profitable solutions fighting climate change. Innovators Magazine was at the Solar Impulse Foundation’s launch of ‘1000 solutions’ in 2017 at COP23 in Bonn and I spoke with Bertrand the same year about the mission, which reached a major milestone today, and has many more in its sights.

The solutions so far come from ventures of all sizes: from startups to large corporations. And they are making an impact in cleaning up a host of industries, including energy, construction water, mobility and agriculture. What they all share is their ability to benefit both the environment and economy. With each of the solutions having passed a tough assessment process before being awarded with the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label.

“We now have the proof that enough solutions exist today to make our world more profitable, efficient, and sustainable. Therefore, no excuses are left for inaction as decision-makers cannot pretend anymore that ecology is too expensive, hurts the economy, and destroys jobs,” said Bertrand.

With these first 1000 solutions Bertrand says the Foundation has proved there are profitable innovations available now that that can make the world more efficient and more sustainable. To help policymakers, business leaders, investors and key decision makers identify those which best support their climate mission, the Foundation’s Solutions Guide offers a searchable tool for users to discover ‘solutions to problems in specific geographical, industrial, or financial settings’.

And to further support public authorities adopt solutions suited to their situation, the Foundation is to present a Cleanprint, a ‘report providing a clear and concrete path for governments and business to move toward their climate targets in accordance with the Paris Agreement’. The first of these will be presented in Scotland, during this year’s COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow. Following that Bertrand will be on the move once again to speak with political and business leaders worldwide about why their focus must now be on the solutions rather than the problems.