The Climate Road Less Traveled
You've only got 80,000 hours of work; what will you do?
In my post Climate Solutions to Focus On I argued that we should align what we do as designers with the solutions that have the biggest impact. But the folks at 80,000 Hours have a different perspective that I’ll summarize for you here.
But first, who’s 80,000 Hours? They’re a Y Combinator-backed nonprofit that does research to figure out how anyone, particularly recent graduates, can enter careers that effectively tackle the world’s most pressing problems.
I was pleased to see that they agree with me that “your personal carbon footprint is much less important than what you do for work.” But interestingly, while they acknowledge that “climate change is going to significantly and negatively impact the world” the “direct extinction risks from climate change seem relatively small” compared to other problems. That said, they point out that climate change contributes to other existential threats, such as great power conflicts, nuclear war, and pandemics.
When it comes to where to focus on climate change, they argue for:
Solutions oriented toward non-OECD countries because that’s where the majority of future energy demand will come from.
Harder, long-term solutions because the easier, short-term solutions will probably come to fruition without your intervention.
Neglected strategies because the popular strategies will already get enough attention.
Leveraging large resources, for example starting a grassroots campaign could change government policy which could change how billions are spent.
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. –from The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost