by Meryl Davids Landau
“There are these unstoppable market forces whereby clean technology will only get better and cheaper over time,” says Gernot Wagner, Ph.D., a climate economist at Columbia Business School, who notes that returning to a fully coal- and fuel-based world not only is morally wrong but also no longer makes economic sense.
What to expect next
With federal support being pulled back, experts expect some slowing of progress. Still, when it comes to climate solutions, Wagner says, “the fundamental trends all point in one and only one direction”—forward. Some of those trends:Technology will advance
Recent technologies that make our climate healthier include cool roofs, made from materials that reflect rather than absorb sunlight; an insulating gel that makes windows more energy-efficient; and tastier plant-based “meats” (livestock accounts for 15% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions). Some new tech is more affordable now as well. Induction stoves are one example, says Wagner: They heat food more precisely than gas stoves but are up to three times as energy-efficient (and don’t cause asthma and other respiratory problems). “Five years ago, an induction stove would have cost you $1,500. Now IKEA sells induction plates for $60,” Wagner adds.Renewable energy will cost you less
The least expensive option for generating power in many communities is no longer fossil fuels but renewables, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. “Solar panels were 100 times as expensive when Jimmy Carter put them on the White House as they are today,” Wagner says. This is thanks to economies of scale, improved manufacturing techniques, and lower labor costs as more workers gain experience. Reductions in tax credits or grants could slow further price declines but won’t reverse the trend.
Solar tech will save power companies money
Onshore and offshore wind power costs are falling as well, having dropped 56% and 48%, respectively, between 2010 and 2020. Texas landowners wanting to get rich might previously have drilled for oil on their property, but “in the new world, you put wind turbines and solar panels there,” Wagner says.
Quoted in: “Progress for the Planet” by Meryl Davids Landau, Prevention (April 2025).