Have you had enough
of people hammering you with information regarding what we can do to combat
climate change? Are you hoping to avoid any more conversation regarding the
state of our environment? If you answered yes to either, or both, of the
questions listed above, I urge you to visit another blog post.
 |
| © NASA Climate Change |
The U.S. government has already made strides in the
computer industry, the biotechnology industry and even the nanotechnology
industry. So what’s next? What about new technology that we really need? I’m talking about the environment here, and our desperate
need to repair some of the damage that we have wreaked. It turns out that the
government can move us forward in the war against climate change, and that we
shouldn’t necessarily rely on the private-sector. Mazzucato isn’t the only
one who thinks so. Bill Gates has also joined the ranks, claiming that “governments
worldwide could stimulate ingenuity to combat climate change by dramatically
increasing spending on research and development.”2
Where does Canada
stand in relation to this? It appears, from what they claim, that they are on
board. As a nation, we are not ignoring the scientific evidence behind climate
change, which the government has labelled “one of the greatest threats of our
time.”3 Amongst other things, they will be using their regulatory
function to put a price on carbon emissions. In addition, the Minister of
Innovation announced last year that Canada will contribute over $206 million in
funding for 36 clean technology projects across the nation.4 This,
along with building a cleaner future, provides more jobs, expands our access to
international markets, and makes our business sector more competitive in the
global economy.4
 |
| Some of the companies Canada will fund. |
It is an admirable,
and much needed, change. It also benefits our economy. So, what do you guys
think? Should the government be more invested in these efforts worldwide, or
can the private-sector play a more important role? Any objections? You can learn more by following the links below, and I urge you to.
1. Mazzucato, Mariana. The
Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths, Anthem
Press, 2015.
2. Bennett, James. “’We Need an Energy
Miracle.’” The Atlantic, Nov. 2015, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/11/we-need-an-energy-miracle/407881/
3. “Canada's Way Forward on Climate Change.” Government of Canada, 19 Apr. 2016, http://www.climatechange.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=72f16a84-1
4. “Government of
Canada Announces Support for Clean Technology.” Sustainable Development Technology Canada, 4 Mar. 2016, https://www.sdtc.ca/en/MarchFundingAnnouncement
The issue of the environment goes beyond just the innovation of technology. The earth is being polluted in many ways and the tech industry is only one change that needs to be made. I think it is important, but also think it is an uphill battle where state intervention and other issues arise.
ReplyDeleteCanada's position in this challenge is a great one, as we provide some of the largest fresh bodies of water globally. But I agree with the above comment stating that this goes beyond just the tech industry, involving an array of institutions - but we have seen school systems getting involved, such as the University of Waterloo. I was reading an article on their website explaining innovation for climate change. UofW launched an Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment that helps improve our understanding of the depletion of the ozone layer, which was implemented by NASA. If we continue to successfully combine multiple institutions and sources, we can help understand and fight climate change.
ReplyDeleteLink to University of Waterloo article for above post.
ReplyDeletehttps://uwaterloo.ca/stories/waterloo-most-innovative-university-canada