In 2021, we made real progress in fighting covid-19 and climate change

Seagrass Meadows, (Photo by Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild )

Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild via Getty Images

“A YEAR of tackling great challenges.” In the title of our review of the year, “tackling” is the operative word. Two great challenges have dominated the past 12 months: the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, and efforts to address climate change, as embodied by the COP26 summit held in Glasgow, UK, in November. Both have seen significant progress – but only the most irrational optimist could claim that what we have achieved so far amounts to solutions.

Our retrospective leader of 2020 was devoted to the promise that vaccines might bring a swift end to covid-19. At the time, more than 70 …