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https://theconversation.com/chasing-future-biotech-solutions-to-climate-change-risks-delaying-action-in-the-present-it-may-even-make-things-worse-194147>
"The world is under growing pressure to find sustainable options to cut
emissions or lessen the impacts of climate change.
Technology entrepreneurs from around the globe claim to have the solutions –
not just yet, but soon. The biotech sector in particular is now using climate
change as an urgent argument for more government funding, public support and
fewer regulatory hurdles for their industry.
But the urgency of climate change creates greater risk of superficial claims
and actions. In our new research, we describe how the current “technology push”
cycle perpetually promises to rescue humanity from climate change, and in doing
so, delays real progress.
The pipeline for salvation technology is long and the benefit is hypothetical.
Like the character Wimpy from Popeye, technology developers want their
hamburger today but will pay back society with climate solutions on some future
Tuesday.
Climate change is an existential threat, but it is only one of many symptoms of
environmental damage we’ve caused. Humanity has pushed Earth beyond multiple
boundary limits and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is
merely one indicator of the many excesses of human activity.
Technology solutions not only rarely lead to sustainable solutions, they may
exacerbate harm. Lulled into complacency by “technological imaginaries”, we
wait too long to enact difficult but effective solutions."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
