Can technology solve our climate crisis?
From electric cars to major geoengineering projects, is our passion for technology the solution for the climate crisis or a vicious circle of technology dependency?
👋 Happy Monday!
Welcome back to your weekly dose of climate and environment news from the Grumpy Optimists, George, and Will. Our emphasis today, can tech really be the solution to climate change?
The question of whether tech is the solution to our climate crisis is hotly contested. In some ways it's a classic case of Boserup (optimistic) vs Malthus (pessimist), can technology solve the pressure being placed on humans or will there be a great extinction? Let's quickly look.
From electric cars to carbon capture and storage, climate-tech is growing in popularity, funding, and capability. Society and government are quickly realising the need to funnel money into these grand geo-engineering ideas and many see it as the only route out of our current climate predicament. But is climate-tech pushing change further down the line and taking us along a path of further technology dependency, taking a bigger bite out of the poison Apple that is our technology addiction? Can it really save us?
This question I (George) have been grappling with over the last few years, especially working in the technology sector. It makes me question, is what I'm doing making a difference or should I just go and live in a commune if I really want to save the world. I recognise that these are two extremes and that potentially we can all find a happy medium and take elements from both. To some extent, climate-tech solves problems, it makes our systems more efficient, it can reduce our energy consumption and it can provide hope for the future, but is it quite simply making a shit system, well, less shit?
This is no small question and I don't want to cover it all now, nor do I want to provide you with a definitive answer, because who are we to tell you? Instead, we've included some articles/videos in this week’s newsletter to let you think for yourself (crazy idea in this day and age).
Anyway, enjoy your week and let us know in the comments, can tech solve climate change, or not?
Articles To Read
🏝️ Can science turn the deserts green? No, I don't mean your pudding, yes I mean sand. But can a desert in Sinai really be turned into a lush oasis or greenery? Imagination is the only thing stopping us.
👩 Climate change is a feminist issue. How climate change can exacerbate structural inequalities such a race, gender, and class, and how climate action can address these issues.
⚖️ Climate change is a race issue. Structural racism is at the heart of climate change, with its effects disproportionately implicating Black, Indigenous, and people of colour. This article talks through the whiteness of climate anxiety, and why we must put justice at the heart of positive climate action.
🎢 It's time to build a new world fair, but for technology? This piece by Cam Weise takes us back in time through the culture-shaping World's Fairs and how we need to reimagine our relationship with technology and the opportunities it has to offer. Dystopian or Utopian?
Videos To Watch
💴 How do we make all sectors carbon neutral? Bill Gates explains his idea of the green premium and how paying a green premium will help us reach our goals.
🚘 The exponential rise of technology. Tony Seba looks at the era of clean disruption and how transportation and energy will be revolutionised over the next 10-years. A MUST WATCH.
That’s all from us this week, let us know what your thoughts are. Much love, the Grumpy Optimists.