Scientists believe the world is on the brink of climate disaster. Experts argue that taking increasingly extreme technological (and sociological) measures is the best way to avert the most likely consequences.

On December 12, at the Climate Ambition Summit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged world leaders to declare a climate emergency in the hope that key countries would adopt more comprehensive strategies. He cited the expansion of carbon-intensive sectors by G20 countries in stimulus packages adopted to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. In line with scientific research, Guterres recommended that leading governments commit to climate change mitigation efforts, including social reforms.

“We are facing a climate emergency, not a minor issue less important than building roads or restoring tourism to pre-pandemic levels. It needs the same focus that the US had after Pearl Harbor, which was recognized as an existential threat to the country,” Ian Lowe, a Griffith University professor emeritus who specializes in sustainability and climate change impacts, told Lifewire in an interview.

The debate between sustainability and innovation has continued as world leaders rethink economic development in a world that experts say is teetering on the brink of ecological collapse. Earlier this month, Japan pledged to end sales of petroleum-based vehicles and instead focus on producing energy-efficient electric and hybrid alternatives. It hopes to phase out gasoline-powered cars by 2035.