Will technology save us from climate disaster?
Electric cars, recycling and renewable energies. Technology accompanies us every single day and is part of most solutions and debates on and for climate change. Some believe that ’green’ or ‘clean’ technologies will ‘save’ us from the climate crisis. In his new book “How to avoid a climate disaster” Bill Gates wrote:
“The point is that when we focus on all three things at once—technology, policies, and markets—we can encourage innovation, spark new companies, and get new products into the market fast.”
Does technology have the ability to save us from climate disasters? We will discuss the reasons and arguments that people like Bill Gates or Elon Musk bring to the table and reflect critically on how useful this perspective really is.
Why?
Tech companies are always striving for more efficiency. In past years the perspective of technology as the solution for climate change has gained popularity with CEOs and politicians. Many believe that new technologies and innovations will provide all necessary solutions to address the climate and environmental crisis.
In 2021 global investments in green technology hit a high of $755 billion. (BloombergNEF, 2022)
This growing number shows the importance technology is being attributed with addressing current environmental challenges. In this context, you often hear the term ‘environmental’, ‘green’ or ‘clean’ technology which describes an approach that wants to reduce our environmental impact by using technologies and science. This idea has gained more popularity of late but has existed since the Industrial Revolution at the start of the 19th century. During that time, scientists began to observe the negative environmental impacts that technological breakthroughs brought along, like steam and then later combustion engines.
Generally, this technological approach focuses on how markets, government and production intersect to reduce our environmental footprint by:
Making current technologies more efficient
Innovating and creating new technologies
Currently, money, resources and hope have been put into technologies that help us better adapt to the adverse effects of climate change, such as drought-resistant crops or early warning systems to aid and prepare communities worldwide. But adaptations only make a part of the technology based perspective. By making existing technologies more efficient and innovating new ones, many believe that we can build our way out of the climate crisis. Examples of this would be carbon capture and storage, electric vehicles and renewable energy.
Let us now critically reflect together if the perspective provides us with all solutions needed.
The positive aspects first:
Technology equips us with essential no carbon solutions like renewable energy, and taxation on carbon emissions.
This perspective is popular with decision-makers as it does not aim to disrupt and radically change our economies and markets. Therefore big companies will also support this approach.
Now the disadvantages:
The production of technological devices involves high environmental costs and is very polluting. For example, the extraction of metals to build new appliances is known to pollute water bodies and also needs a significant amount of energy which still mostly comes from fossil fuels.
A technology perspective operates and is based on a capitalist system and does not involve radical systemic change.
This perspective also fails to address the underlying causes of the climate crisis such as inequalities, climate justice etc.
Many technologies needed to mitigate and adapt to climate change are still in the research and development phase and not able to provide working solutions right now.
Many argue that climate solutions are often not radical or transformative enough.
Conclusion
Overall, climate change is mainly not just an environmental problem but a huge social justice issue as well. If we want to save our planet and ourselves we need a complex and inclusive approach which addresses justice issues and inequalities at the same time as transitioning to a green future. We need to question how we do business and radically change our economic and political framework to address climate change successfully.
What do you think of the technological perspective?
Here are some additional resources if you want to know more:
Videos:
Technology is not going to save us, ecology will! by Theunis Piersma
Why Capitalist Innovation Won't Save Us
Books:
Less is More by Jason Hickel
Climate Justice by Mary Robinson
Online articles and websites:
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates review – why science isn't enough (The Guardian)
References
BloombergNEF. (2022). Global Investment in Low-Carbon Energy Transition Hit $755 Billion in 2021 | BloombergNEF. [online] Available at: https://about.bnef.com/blog/global-investment-in-low-carbon-energy-transition-hit-755-billion-in-2021/ [Accessed 24 May 2022].
Jänicke, M. (2008). Ecological modernisation: new perspectives. Journal of Cleaner Production, [online] 16(5), pp.557–565. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2007.02.011.
Gates, B., 2021. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need. s.l.:Allan Lan