We need to invest in technology, and it’s one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal as we take strategic action to combat climate change, but it is just that, a tool. If our technology transforms but our people and our mindset do not, well, we’re right back at square one.
This was one of the many fascinating points I discussed with ABB’s Christian Cravedi for the November issue’s cover story, and while I’m always keen to hear about the technology side of the energy transition, I was refreshed and pleasantly surprised when Cravedi interrupted me politely during our conversation to ask if all of my questions would be about technology. When asked what he would prefer to talk about, he said that it’s equally important to talk about people. Fair enough!
The conversation that followed was eye-opening. His perspective was not only that people need to be deeply invested in climate action, but that we risk more damage by leaning completely on technology and new developments without taking a strategic, studied approach. After all, the pollutants that plague the environment today were created with the intention to solve problems, not create them. Some of them were created specifically to help with environmental and wildlife conservation, in fact… But more on that in our cover story!
