Harnessing the excitement of tech to inspire climate action

Exactly three months today, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) gets underway in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Amid extreme weather, severe droughts and devastating wildfires across the globe, there has never been a more important time to tackle the climate emergency. 

Media coverage of the crisis is, appropriately, consistently alarming. However, there may be an unintended consequence of seeing only catastrophic headlines: climate paralysis. This sense of helplessness can, inadvertently, inhibit people from actually taking the action needed to fight climate change, making us feel like any effort made won't make a difference.

But there is a solution and individual action does matter. For professional communicators, positive messaging is an incredibly powerful and effective way to influence attitudes and incite meaningful behavioral shifts among citizens, governments and organizations alike. Read more about the power of communications to help create a more sustainable future in some of our recent blogs covering changing fashion consumer behavior and tackling drought.

CleanTech Innovation

New tech developments also have huge potential to ignite positivity and inspire real change. From smart energy solutions to data-driven conservation efforts, focusing on the positive ability of emerging tech to combat climate change can provide the huge catalyst needed to shift mindsets and change behaviors. 

Clarity Associate Partners Jason Wakeford in Los Angeles, U.S., and Julia Hoy in Sydney, Australia, reveal their picks of the latest in exciting cleantech developments which have the potential to inspire and drive positive change.

Jason’s top CleanTech companies

Clarity client Lumo is a smart Agtech solution that uses advanced water technology to reduce the amount of water needed to irrigate crops. New analysis, out today, reveals that Lumo’s irrigation technology could save Californian farmers alone $9.75 billion in labor and electricity costs – and a staggering 1.33 trillion gallons of water – over the next five years, helping boost profits and protect previous water resources in the face of climate change.

ROUUTE’s energy harvesting system is based on a combination of fluid and compression technologies that work together to capture and store energy generated by vehicles as they drive over road surfaces. The system can be installed anywhere and is particularly effective at ports, highways and truck depots, and is a clever way to reduce carbon and promote sustainable energy.

EY’s OpsChain ESG, launched earlier this year, provides a single, verifiable view of CO2e emissions, allowing companies to accurately measure and track their carbon footprints. This is also a great example of how tech is enabling companies to accurately track data in a way that is scalable and secured on the public Ethereum blockchain – building accuracy and, most importantly, trust.

Julia’s top CleanTech companies

Eco start up, Uluu, has developed a new material made from seaweed that has the potential to replace plastic at scale. This new material is highly compostable and biodegradable, and can be just as versatile as plastic. At the same time, seaweed farming can help create sustainable jobs in coastal communities, helping tackle overfishing. This biotech solution is giving people hope that we can leave behind fossil fuel derived plastics and replace it with a solution that doesn’t create pollution during its production, use, or after its disposal. People across the world will be watching with interest as the first products made with Uluu come into market later this year. 

Restore Blue is one of the world’s first ‘blue carbon’ providers. Blue carbon – carbon captured by oceans and coastal ecosystems – has one of the highest sequestration rates (removal of carbon from the atmosphere) of any carbon capture method. It also does more than take carbon out of the air, it protects biodiversity, provides land with protection from surges and storms, and provides nursing grounds and habitats for many species. Solutions like Restore Blues are bringing integrity back into the conversation around offsetting (which has recently been marked by claims of greenwashing) and better protects the resources we rely on.

Developed by Professor Greg Metha from the University of Adelaide in Australia and Fortescue Future Industries have found an innovative solution to making green hydrogen. Sparc Green Hydrogen relies on water, light, mirrors and a photocatalyst (a material that absorbs light to bring it to a higher energy level). It uses these elements rather than the energy market or expensive equipment like electrolysers. To achieve net zero emissions by 2050, most things will become electrified, but this won’t work for every sector. Green hydrogen can play an important role supporting industries like heavy transportation.

Telling positive stories and showing people the innovative solutions that are decarbonising, protecting and restoring our planet can inspire more people to feel empowered to engage in discussion around sustainability, and to act. 
At Clarity, we accelerate positive change and impact in the world through the work we do. One aspect of that is the creative and intelligent marketing and communications with CleanTech firms, and more broadly supporting organizations' sustainability initiatives. Marketing and communications support meaningful action and behavior change in sustainability and this is where our expertise lies. Reach out to find out more about how we can help you launch your CleanTech startup, or achieve your ongoing sustainability goals.