How Technology Affects Climate Change
The improvement of technology has caused climate change. The improvement of technology can mitigate climate change’s effects. Both statements are true, but it depends on the context; specifically, which period of history it points to.
During the industrial revolution, improvement in technology was done at the expense of air quality and public health. Coal was used to generate electricity for homes and factories. The invention of the car as well as many other machines saw a rise in the emission of greenhouse gases.
But it’s also this same passion towards technological advancement that enables the present society to open up new opportunities to address climate issues. Before, innovation meant incurring many environmental costs. Now, scientists and information technologists are sharing new perspectives at climate change conferences and gearing up for innovation that keeps environmental activism in mind. Here are some examples of how technology can make a positive effect on the global move towards more sustainable environmental practices.
Making clean energy accessible to everyone
The use of energy is one of the hardest things to tackle within the realm of the climate change discussion. This is because industries have been using fossil fuels as energy sources for a very long time now, and the industry behind this is persistent in fighting back against pro-environment groups. This is where tech comes in: with technology, smarter energy grids can be made. Solar-powered energy can also be generated and made accessible not just to corporations but also to people’s homes. With continued effort, a complete move towards clean energy can be successful.
Food technology: making replacements for meat
The meat and livestock industry is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases, and the main greenhouse gas that they emit is methane. The technology centered on producing meat consumes so much power, water, and land, and thus the meat and livestock industry affects not just the air but also other resources. However, with improved food technology, businesses are moving towards making egg and dairy substitutes, plant-based meat, and other non-meat products. Once this technology is normalised, it would then be a lot easier for people to transition to a plant-based lifestyle, thereby lowering the demand and popularity of the environmentally damaging meat and livestock industry.
Big data and open source data movements
In the age of the internet, people can read up and be informed about climate issues, regardless of where they are in the world. One does not need to live in a coastal community for them to be aware about rising sea levels: that information is accessible on a smartphone. But technology has upped their game in terms of climate data. Many companies are making climate research accessible to everyone and some are even removing patents on some research efforts so people can build environmentally friendly products more freely.
Mapping technology
With improved mapping technology such as the creation of interactive maps or new projections, people can see the effects of climate change more clearly: it’s clear on these maps which countries are affected by melting glaciers, where wildfires are occurring frequently, or how much biodiversity is depleting due to a warmer climate. With this technology, organisations and governments can improve their planning techniques for environmental policies such as in the case of disaster risk management.
Learn more about this from a global warming speaker who understands this problem well
Want to learn more about how technology can be used to alleviate the climate change problem? Have Ian Cohen over at your next event. As a prime figure in Australia’s environmental activism campaigns, Ian has appeared in events related to the environment as a climate change keynote speaker. He is a mentor to people who are passionate about the environment and want to make a positive impact on their communities. He is dedicated to helping people gain a deeper understanding of environmental issues so they can make sound decisions as consumers and as citizens. Ian’s environmental message is one that is relatable, genuine, and ripe with commitment towards a greener world.
To learn more about Ian Cohen, head on over to the Ian Cohen website and leave a message via the contact form.
Comentários