Nanotechnology solutions for the climate crisis

Climate change is one of humankind’s biggest challenges, with current and predicted impacts of more frequent and intense climate extremes, including heatwaves, wildfires, hurricanes, ocean acidification, and increased extinction rates. Nanotechnology already plays an important role in decarbonizing critical processes. Still, despite the technical advances seen in the last decades, the International Energy Agency has identified many sectors that are not on track to achieve climate mitigation goals by 2030. Here, a multi-stakeholder group of nanoscientists from the public, private, and philanthropic sectors discuss four high-potential application spaces where nanotechnologies could accelerate progress: batteries and energy storage; catalysis; coatings, lubricants, membranes, and other interface technology; and capture of greenhouse gases. This perspective highlights opportunities and current gaps for those working to minimize the climate crisis and provides a framework for the nanotechnology community to answer the call to action on this global issue.

Impact/Purpose

In the past few decades nanotechnology has helped create efficiencies in computing, electric vehicles, and vaccine distribution. To take advantage of nanotechnology's potential for reducing GHGs the Nano4EARTH program was created to mobilize the nanotechnology community towards responsible development of climate change solutions. Enduring climate change solutions will require multi-faceted approaches that increase understanding of the science, advance useful technologies, and help society prepare for predicted climate change impacts. The breadth and versatility of nanotechnology enables a unique opportunity to combat climate change on all fronts. Four areas of technology were identified in recent Nano4EARTH activities as having the high potential to address climate change: 1) batteries and energy storage, 2) nanocatalysts, 3) nanotechnology-enabled interfaces, and 4) greenhouse gas (GHG) capture and storage. This manuscript was completed by a group of federal and private stakeholders to expand on these technological areas and review potential technologies that can address climate change issues along with their future outlook.  

Citation

Campa, M., C. Brown, P. Byrley, J. Delbourne, N. Glavin, C. Green, M. Griep, T. Kaarsberg, I. Linkov, J. Miller, J. Porterfield, B. Schwenzer, Q. Spadola, B. Brough, AND J. Warren. Nanotechnology solutions for the climate crisis. Nature Portfolio, Berlin, GERMANY1422-1426, (2024). [DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01772-5]

DOI: Nanotechnology solutions for the climate crisis