Coming soon: Our 2026 list of Climate Tech Companies to Watch

Earlier this month, the UN announced the planet will tip past 1.5 ˚C of warming, “likely within the next few years,” squashing any lingering hope that nations would cut emissions fast enough to achieve the loftiest goal of the Paris climate agreement. In the US, the world’s second-largest-emitting…

Résumé

Climate progress amid setbacks

The United Nations recently announced that the planet is likely to exceed 1.5 ˚C of global warming within the next few years, which is the more ambitious target set by the Paris climate agreement in 2015.

This milestone was set to guide countries in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

However, progress has been uneven.

The United States, the second-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, continues to face political challenges, with its leader denying climate change and rolling back environmental policies.

Meanwhile, major technology companies are scaling back their climate commitments due to the high energy demands of building large AI data centers.

Despite these setbacks, the world has made significant strides in climate solutions, including advances in renewable energy, electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, and industrial processes.

Cities are also developing strategies to protect residents from worsening extreme weather events like heatwaves, wildfires, and floods.