I’ve recently been watching What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates on Netflix. In this series, Gates explores several pressing issues, one of which is climate change and how we can drastically cut CO2 emissions. While the challenge seems monumental, the message is clear: we don’t have to give up. Innovation and smarter decisions can turn the tide.
The difficulty lies in the fact that the actions we take now may not fully benefit us, but rather our grandchildren. Humans are more motivated to act when immediate results are visible, which is why it can be hard to rally support for long-term solutions. However, if we break down the primary sources of CO2 emissions and understand the technologies being developed to address each sector, we can start to see where progress is happening—and where we can contribute.
The largest contributor to global CO2 emissions is electricity production, largely due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. With a growing global population and increased demand for energy, decarbonizing this sector is critical for reducing emissions and mitigating climate change.
However, one of the major challenges is that fossil fuels often have lower upfront costs due to existing infrastructure and subsidies, making them the default energy source in many regions. That said, this comes with significant long-term environmental and economic costs, including price volatility and the heavy toll on public health. The key challenge is to make renewable energy sources both affordable and scalable while ensuring they can reliably meet energy demands.
Solutions: Renewable energy sources like solar and wind are essential to reducing emissions, but they face a significant challenge: their energy production is intermittent—solar energy is only produced when the sun is shining, and wind power is only generated when the wind blows. This intermittency limits their reliability as standalone energy sources.
Bill Gates has highlighted the need for nuclear energy as a consistent, low-emission solution to fill in the gaps left by renewables. Gates is investing heavily in next-generation nuclear reactors that promise to be safer and more efficient than their predecessors, offering a constant power supply without the carbon emissions of fossil fuels.
Additionally, solar energy storage is a crucial technology for making renewable energy more reliable. While solar energy is abundant, especially in sunny regions, its production drops to zero during the night and on cloudy days. Energy storage systems, usually in the form of lithium-ion batteries, enable us to capture and store surplus energy produced during peak sunlight hours and release it when demand exceeds supply. By bridging this gap, storage systems allow solar power to function as a more consistent and scalable energy source.
Over time, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for renewables like solar and wind has fallen dramatically, making them increasingly competitive with fossil fuels. However, to further accelerate the transition, we need continued investments in energy storage and grid modernization, as well as policy frameworks that level the playing field for renewables against fossil fuels, which often benefit from subsidies.
While fossil fuels have historically been cheaper due to established infrastructure, the future lies in making renewable energy more affordable and accessible. Innovations in clean energy technologies and continued investment will drive down costs, making alternatives like solar, wind, and nuclear more attractive, both environmentally and economically, in the long run.
The industrial sector, particularly the production of cement and steel, is responsible for a significant portion of global emissions. Cement production alone accounts for around 8% of global CO2 emissions due to the chemical reaction that releases carbon during the production process.
Solutions: Many startups and researchers are working on carbon capture technology, which can trap CO2 emissions before they enter the atmosphere. Others are looking to develop new materials or alternative methods of production that don’t rely on processes that inherently emit carbon. While these innovations are promising, they are still in the early stages and need more funding and development to become widely viable.
Agriculture, particularly livestock farming and deforestation, accounts for nearly a quarter of global emissions. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas released by cattle during digestion, is one of the largest contributors to emissions from this sector. Additionally, clearing forests for agricultural land exacerbates climate change by reducing the earth’s capacity to absorb CO2.
Solutions: Gates and other innovators are supporting technologies that help farmers adopt more sustainable practices. This includes developing new approaches to livestock farming that reduce methane emissions, such as altering livestock feed to decrease methane production. Additionally, there is ongoing research into more sustainable farming methods, including the development of plant-based and lab-grown meats, which have the potential to significantly reduce the need for traditional cattle farming.
Furthermore, practices that reduce deforestation and promote reforestation are essential for tackling emissions from land use. By transitioning to more sustainable land management, we can reduce emissions while maintaining agricultural productivity.
While air travel does contribute to CO2 emissions (about 3%), the majority of transportation-related emissions come from road transport, including cars, trucks, and buses. Road transport alone is responsible for roughly 8% of total global emissions. The reliance on fossil fuels in this sector—especially gasoline and diesel—makes it a significant target for decarbonization.
Solutions: The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is a critical step in reducing transportation emissions, as EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions and can be powered by renewable energy. However, it’s also essential to promote micromobility options like bicycles and e-bikes, which are even more energy-efficient than EVs.
This is where our work at Ubike becomes especially meaningful. By offering bike and e-bike leasing options, we create more opportunities for people to make sustainable transportation choices. Short trips, which account for a significant share of road traffic, can often be replaced with bike rides. This shift not only reduces emissions but also alleviates congestion in urban areas, improving air quality and reducing overall traffic volume.
Promoting cycling as a cleaner and healthier alternative to cars could drastically lower the environmental impact of daily commutes. In particular, e-bikes make cycling more accessible by extending range and reducing physical effort, encouraging even more people to opt for low-emission transport.
Many of us focus on insulating our homes or upgrading to triple-glazed windows, believing that this will have a significant impact on reducing our carbon footprint. While it's certainly valuable, it might be surprising to learn that buildings account for only 6% of global CO2 emissions. The energy required for heating, cooling, and lighting in buildings is a smaller piece of the emissions puzzle compared to other sectors like transportation. This isn't to downplay the importance of building efficiency, but to highlight that mobility, a habit we can more easily adjust day-to-day, has a much larger impact.
Solutions: Improving energy efficiency in buildings remains key. Better insulation, energy-efficient windows, and switching to heat pumps instead of traditional heating systems can make a notable difference in reducing energy consumption and emissions. Smart home technologies can further optimize energy use by preventing waste during times when energy isn't needed.
However, it’s important not to feel complacent simply because we've made our homes more energy-efficient. While it’s a critical step, we should also focus on transportation, which has a much larger environmental impact. By making conscious choices—whether that’s using public transport, driving less, or choosing to bike or walk for shorter trips—we can address a significant source of emissions. Adjusting our daily mobility habits can lead to more immediate and far-reaching effects on global CO2 reduction.
The remaining sources of emissions come from various sectors, including waste management and landfills, which emit methane as organic waste breaks down, as well as smaller industrial processes. Methane is a particularly potent greenhouse gas, and addressing these emissions is crucial for a comprehensive climate strategy.
Solutions: Reducing methane emissions from landfills is vital. One promising innovation is the development of bins that dry organic waste, turning it into a powder that doesn’t emit the usual odors associated with decaying matter. This dried waste can then be repurposed as livestock feed, which not only reduces methane emissions but also closes the loop in the waste cycle, supporting circular economy principles.
Additionally, better recycling programs, composting, and more efficient waste disposal technologies can help decrease the amount of organic waste sent to landfills, where it would otherwise decompose and release methane. Governments and businesses can also work together to create circular economies where materials are reused or repurposed rather than discarded.
By adopting these methods, we can reduce waste-related emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future.
At Ubike, we believe that part of the solution to transportation emissions lies in making micromobility more accessible. By offering bike leasing options, especially for companies, we can help reduce the number of cars on the road and empower commuters to make greener choices. E-bikes in particular are a game-changer, as they offer an energy-efficient, low-emission alternative for short trips that would typically be done by car. This shift can make a significant difference in urban areas where road transport contributes heavily to traffic congestion and pollution.
However, while individual actions like switching to bikes are important, systemic changes in energy production, industrial processes, and agriculture are key to achieving the massive reductions in CO2 necessary to combat climate change. The collective adoption of sustainable practices, coupled with large-scale innovations in clean energy and technology, will drive the most impactful changes.
As What’s Next? reminds us, the solutions to climate change are within reach, but they require a mix of large-scale innovation and individual action. Whether it's investing in clean energy, adopting better industrial practices, or encouraging bike leasing to reduce emissions from transportation, every action counts. While the challenge is enormous, with the right combination of technological advancements and smart choices, we can turn the tide on climate change—and at Ubike, we're proud to be part of this effort.
Image Source: IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
