How can CERN make our planet more sustainable?

Renewable energy, clean transportation, pollution control, climate monitoring, nature protection, green science... These are all goals to ensure a healthier and sustainable planet, able to support the needs of future generations.

Acknowledging global environmental challenges, CERN is taking steps to move from serendipity to a conscious effort to harness its unique skillset to help society’s efforts to preserve the planet.

Whether it is more energy efficient cooling systems or innovative sensors for monitoring pollution, algorithms allowing faster and more efficient computing or superconducting transmission lines minimising power losses, solutions supporting the raising hydrogen economy or the simulation of global scale phenomena, new disruptive technologies are emerging at CERN sowing the seeds for our ecological transition.

Four main sectors with high impact potential and strong synergies with CERN’s technical domains of expertise have been identified: renewable and low-carbon energy, clean transportation and future mobility, climate change and pollution control, sustainability and green science. Several flagship projects are under implementation in these areas, in collaboration with external partners and with the support of CERN’s Knowledge Transfer Group.

In addition, in line with CERN’s main objectives for the period 2021-25, the Organization has endorsed the CERN Innovation Programme on Environmental Applications (CIPEA) in 2022.

In the frame of CIPEA, new ideas on how to address major environmental challenges through CERN technologies, know-how and facilities have been collected from experts, and the most promising concepts are now under implementation.

Explore the potential of CERN to support an effective and impactful ecological transition

Environment related news 

SuperNode and CERN collaborate on new solutions for renewable energy transmission

The result of this collaboration on superconductivity could greatly improve energy transmission and accelerate the transition to renewable energy

22 April, 2023

The 2022 CERN Knowledge Transfer Highlights report is out

The report highlights a few examples in 2022 of how CERN’s technology and know-how, paired with the expertise of our partners, can drive innovation and progress for the benefit of society as a whole.

21 March, 2023

CERN and Airbus partnership on future clean aviation

CERN and Airbus UpNext sign a collaboration agreement to assess the use of superconducting technologies for future low-emission aeroplanes.

Knowledge sharing
01 December, 2022
Knowledge sharing
01 December, 2022

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