Technology and Climate Change

I believe that to correctly understand the relationship between technology and climate change, two issues must be taken into account. The first is the issue of time. The concept of climate change should not be based on observations made over periods that can be considered very short on the scale of the Earth's lifespan, such as “it snowed a lot last year, but it didn't snow at all this year. Therefore, we can talk about climate change.” It is among the recommendations of experts in the field to look at climate change by monitoring changes over centuries, millennia, or even longer periods. However, considering that the average human lifespan is around 80 years, we see that annual and decadal climate changes have significant effects on people and that global policies regarding climate change are discussed on relatively short time scales. Nevertheless, we must consider the abnormal increase in global warming, especially in the last century, as a warning.

As we know, the relationship between technology and climate change is volatile. As I mentioned in my previous article where I examined the relationship between technology and capitalism, after the Enlightenment, great importance was placed on science and technology, research and development, and the welfare levels of societies and individuals increased more than in previous centuries. On the other hand, there have been costs to this. This is the second issue we need to pay attention to. The carbon emissions brought about by industrialization and the accompanying greenhouse gas effect and ozone hole problems have been occupying the global agenda for a long time.

Humanity has tried to find solutions to the climate change problems caused by technology with the help of technology and science again, and for example, very important developments have been made towards utilizing nuclear reactions, water, solar, and wind for energy production instead of coal and fossil fuels. However, we know today that nuclear power plants can create deadly dangers if not operated very carefully. Hydroelectric power plants harm the environment by drying up the rivers they are built on, and solar panels and wind turbines, which we define as green technologies, cannot yet work with full efficiency in every region. Furthermore, their installation requires large areas of land and significant investments.

Although there is currently a craze for switching to electric cars, the questions of how the environmental damage of the batteries used in them can be reduced and how the electricity demand required to charge them will be met remain unanswered.

We also do not see a clear consensus among developed countries regarding the formation of global policies on climate change. We have seen through experience that the impact of 20th-century technologies on environmental pollution is of very serious proportions. In the 21st century, countries with large populations such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia still primarily obtain the energy they need for their growth from fossil fuels. Moreover, these countries, including South Africa, are also trying to cooperate economically and politically under the name BRICS. In addition, with the recent participation of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates in this group, a union has been formed that accounts for approximately half of the world's population with 3.5 billion people, produces 45 million barrels of oil per day, and has a 28% share in the global economy. It would not be wrong to say that this union's priority is not green technologies and sustainable energy. Moreover, we do not see a complete consensus between the USA and the European Union on the measures to be taken against the problem of climate change.

Despite all these economic and political polarizations and historical contradictions, I think we can evaluate what can be done to find solutions to climate change problems under three headings:

1. Climate Change Monitoring and Combat with Digital Solutions: Prioritizing projects aimed at increasing the role of digital technologies in collecting, monitoring, and analyzing climate change data. Highlighting the use of artificial intelligence and big data analytics in the fight against climate change.

2. Climate Change Communication: Prioritizing projects on how technology, especially through social media communication tools, can be used to create awareness about climate change.

3. Combating Electronic Waste and Its Environmental Impacts: Prioritizing projects that research the environmental impacts of electronic waste and offer technological solutions in this regard. For example, prioritizing projects that can provide solutions to the high energy needs of new technologies such as digital offices, smart homes, artificial intelligence, and Bitcoin.

Because, as a Native American proverb says, “We did not inherit this world from our ancestors, we borrowed it from our children.” We have to leave it to them in a livable state.