Extreme heat places outdoor and industrial workers at risk of heat illness, lost income and reduced ability to work safely. Mexar Vapor is an active cooling device worn around the neck, where it lowers skin temperature and helps reduce heat strain during physically demanding work. An accompanying monitoring system provides real-time safety alerts and allows employers to monitor workers’ heat exposure. Tested with construction workers in hot and humid conditions, the system could reduce the risk of heat-related illness while supporting safer, more productive workplaces.

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Even with rapid emissions reductions and carbon removal, climate inertia could temporarily push global temperatures beyond critical thresholds. SWORD proposes a swarm of lightweight reflective elements positioned between the Sun and Earth to redirect a small proportion of incoming sunlight. The pressure of sunlight itself would control the swarm, allowing shading to be adjusted by season or region without ongoing fuel use. Climate modelling examines effectiveness, regional impacts, interruption and reversibility. The research could determine whether a carefully governed space-based sunshade might temporarily reduce peak warming while decarbonisation continues.

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Desert cities often have designated green spaces with little vegetation, and planners lack clear guidance on which trees to plant and where. ShajarAI combines satellite mapping, planting criteria and optimisation software to recommend desert-adapted tree species, locations and quantities. Applied to a neighbourhood in Sharjah, the tool identified opportunities to increase carbon capture through planting on existing land. It could help cities make better use of their green spaces while supporting wider climate goals.

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