Microorganisms have been fundamental to Earth for nearly four billion years, crucially sustaining the biosphere by producing oxygen and sequestering carbon. Their abilities can significantly mitigate human impact on the environment, particularly through the sustainable production of materials and cleaning up pollutants. However, technological solutions involving microbes are largely absent from international climate change discussions, such as at COP events. A collaborative initiative by microbiologists and economists in late 2023 aims to explore market-ready microbe-based technologies that are scalable, ethical, and viable to propel sustainability efforts in various sectors.
Despite their wide-ranging potential, however, microbe-based technologies remain largely overlooked in international plans to combat climate change or reduce the loss of biodiversity.
We have assessed whether certain microbe-based technologies that are already on the market could contribute to sustainable solutions that are scalable, ethical, and economically viable.
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