How Europe's science offers hope in tackling the climate emergency.

Byline: Mauro Ferrari

After my first time at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, it is worth taking a look back. Under the theme of Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World, what emerged as an overarching topic in the discussions across the board was the enormous challenge that climate change poses to global society and humanity itself. The question on everyone's lips is - how do we build a more sustainable world?

The annual meeting was also an occasion to show Europe's commitment as a front-runner in the response to climate change.

Europe will do what it takes to unlock the investment, innovation and the creativity that is needed for the green transition, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen put it. This push is reflected in the new Commission's Green Deal; the most comprehensive response to the climate emergency the world has seen so far. This aims to achieve carbon neutrality for the EU by 2050. It shows Europe's clear ambition, and puts research and innovation as key drivers to achieve this goal.

Science and the SDGs

It was striking to see how often science was referred to in the Davos debates as proof that it is indeed a climate emergency that the world is facing. The evidence is clear and does not bode well for the future. But let us not forget that science does not only offer stark warnings. It can also come up with many of the answers we so acutely need, as well as solutions to change our ways of living and operating. Breakthrough research is critical to tackling climate change collectively and to stepping up our efforts to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I see the situation as an opportunity for a wide array of fields.

So should we ask scientists to work specifically on climate solutions? The colossal and multifaceted challenges that climate change brings cannot just be solved by direct, short-term research alone. They need a broad, multi-disciplinary and open approach that takes the long view. A proven recipe for success is giving the brightest minds free rein to follow their scientific curiosity, pushing into unknown fields of knowledge, where solutions to many challenges we face may lie.

History tells us that this non-prescriptive mode brings about many of the greatest and often unexpected breakthroughs, as European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel and I emphasised in a Davos session.

Blue sky for a Green Deal

This approach is at the backbone of the European Research Council...