Thanks to the efforts of researchers, inventors and innovators around the world, we are seeing a surge in technologies and solutions to address climate change. The number of patents relating to climate action rose from under 400,000 in 2013 to more than 1.1 million in 2023. However, the problem is that many of the related innovations do not reach the people on the ground and are therefore not deployed where they are needed most.
WIPO is determined to address this gap and connect the solutions with the people who need them. The Green Technology Book showcases some of the thousands of technological solutions that are already available, or that will be soon, drawing on WIPO GREEN, which now has over 145,000 technologies in its database and has become the largest Greentech platform in the United Nations.
In this fourth edition, the focus is on technology related to climate-related disasters such as heatwaves, floods and storms. There were a record 151 such extreme events in 2024, including heatwaves in Australia, Mali and Japan, and severe floods and landslides in Italy, Senegal, Pakistan and Brazil. The Philippines was battered by six typhoons in the space of a month. The year was the hottest on record, and extreme events linked to climate change forced more than 800,000 people from their homes.
The Green Technology Book showcases some of the thousands of technological solutions that are already available, or that will be soon
The technologies showcased in this Green Technology Book help countries and people to prepare for these disasters and to be more resilient when they do happen. They include tools to enhance emergency response capabilities, bolster financial resilience and facilitate risk transfer. From AI-powered forecasting and digital twins to IoT sensors and satellite systems, they allow responders to anticipate, coordinate and deploy more effectively.
I extend my sincere thanks to our partners Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) and the Academy of Scientific Research & Technology (ASRT) in Egypt. Their collaboration and dedication since the very start of the publication is a testimony to our common vision for advancing tangible climate change action though innovation and technology.
This book is intended to be accessible and relevant to practitioners, policymakers, investors, researchers and the public. I hope it will help to bring the vast range of solutions that are available to combat climate change and its damaging effects to where they are needed most.
Daren Tang, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)