Green Technology Book: Innovative Solutions to Combat Climate Disasters
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has released the fourth edition of its Green Technology Book, focusing on solutions for confronting the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters. This comprehensive publication highlights cutting-edge technologies designed to help societies prepare for, respond to, and recover from extreme climate events that are becoming more common worldwide.
Rising Climate Challenges Demand Innovative Responses
In recent years, the global landscape has witnessed a surge in climate-driven disasters such as heatwaves, floods, storms, droughts, wildfires, and coastal erosion. The year 2024 alone saw a record 151 extreme climate events, including devastating heatwaves in Australia, Mali, and Japan, severe floods and landslides across Italy, Senegal, Pakistan, and Brazil, and repeated typhoons hitting the Philippines. These events have displaced over 800,000 people, underscoring the urgent need for effective climate adaptation and disaster management tools.
A Wealth of Technologies Awaiting Deployment
Thanks to the tireless efforts of global researchers, inventors, and innovators, the availability of climate action technologies is expanding rapidly. Patents related to climate solutions have skyrocketed from fewer than 400,000 in 2013 to over 1.1 million in 2023. Yet, a critical issue remains: many of these innovations do not reach the communities most at risk, limiting their potential impact on the ground.
Addressing this gap is a key mission of WIPO through its platform WIPO GREEN, which currently houses a database of more than 145,000 environmental technologies, making it the largest green technology platform under the United Nations umbrella.
Structure and Content of the Green Technology Book
The Green Technology Book organizes its wealth of information into four major sections that address different aspects of climate-related disasters:
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Part 1: Water-Related Disasters
Covers technologies combating storms, flooding, coastal erosion, and landslides. -
Part 2: Dry Weather-Related Disasters
Focuses on innovations tackling wildfires and drought conditions. -
Part 3: Extreme Temperatures
Examines solutions for dealing with extreme heat and cold events. -
Part 4: Disaster Response Logistics
Highlights emergency infrastructure, rapid deployment techniques, communication systems, digital coordination, financial resilience tools, risk transfer mechanisms, and insurance technologies.
These technologies range from AI-powered forecasting models and digital twin simulations to Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and satellite monitoring systems. Such tools empower emergency responders to predict disasters more accurately, coordinate relief efforts efficiently, and deploy resources effectively.
Collaboration to Amplify Impact
Daren Tang, Director General of WIPO, acknowledged the vital collaboration with partners such as the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) and Egypt’s Academy of Scientific Research & Technology (ASRT). Their joint dedication has been instrumental since the inception of the publication. This partnership reflects a unified vision to advance concrete climate action through innovation.
A Resource for a Wide Audience
The Green Technology Book is designed to be accessible and relevant not only to policymakers and practitioners but also to investors, researchers, and the general public. By showcasing thousands of available or soon-to-be-deployed technologies, it aims to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation, ensuring that solutions reach the areas and people who need them the most.
In his foreword, Daren Tang expressed hope that the book will serve as a crucial tool in the global effort to combat climate change and mitigate its devastating effects.
For more information, the Green Technology Book and the WIPO GREEN platform offer extensive resources to explore innovative climate technologies and foster international cooperation in addressing climate emergencies.
