Climate and natural capital: innovation as a lynchpin of meeting green goals As much as 90% of 2050 baseline man-made emissions could potentially be abated using current technologies.22 However, less than 10% of the required deployment has occurred to date.23 Cooperation is needed to realize the potential of technologies and ensure they are deployed and equitably distributed. Indeed, the Paris Agreement notes “the importance of technology for the implementation of mitigation and adaptation actions” when it comes to climate action.24 Nascent innovations that are early in their development curve but could be crucial for the energy transition could also open (and rely on) new avenues of cooperation. For example, decarbonizing steel and ammonia could motivate new flows of hydrogen derivatives and “green iron” between economies in Africa and Europe. Health and wellness: advancing global health requires shared innovation Frontier technologies are showing immense promise regarding the detection, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Yet, these developments, as well as long- standing technologies such as imaging devices, are often limited in low- and middle-income countries.25 Cooperative approaches to bringing medical technology to underserved areas or developing innovation or production pipelines will be key to advancing global health priorities. The many biomedical innovations born of cooperation that are now gaining momentum will continue to provide a tailwind for health outcomes around the world. The BioNTech/Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine – comprised of 280 components from 19 different countries26 – pioneered the use of mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines, which are now being studied for their potential to treat a range of diseases, from influenza to cancer. At the same time, global collaboration is crucial to strengthening risk detection and protocols for pandemics. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence is working towards a world where collaborative surveillance empowers countries and communities to minimize the impact of pandemic and epidemic threats. Collaborative surveillance, preparedness, response and resilience facilitate the systematic strengthening of capacity among diverse stakeholders globally (both within and beyond the health sector) to enhance public health intelligence and improve evidence for decision-making. Peace and security: innovation as a tool for accord Technology has been a long-standing factor in shaping developments on the battlefield, but in recent years, new technologies have also helped with conflict response and even mitigation. High-resolution satellite imagery has been indispensable in assessing infrastructure damage in Ukraine. Organizations such as the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and private companies such as Maxar Technologies have provided up-to-date images of conflict zones. These images help map destroyed buildings, roads, bridges and utilities. The data supports humanitarian aid planning and lays the groundwork for future reconstruction efforts by identifying priority areas for rebuilding. Organizations are using AI and technologies like secure content verification tools on the frontline of conflict to identify patterns of violence, monitor ceasefire agreements and help strengthen peacekeeping efforts.27 Improved cooperation could help prevent conflicts from spreading by identifying and countering misinformation online, defending computer systems against cyberattacks, and developing technology to help mitigate damage, such as early-warning systems, emergency services, and search and rescue. The Global Cooperation Barometer 2025 Second Edition 10