As we read more everyday about tech company layoffs, the ongoing Twitter drama and the latest crypto crash, I find it interesting to see that $94 billion has been invested in climate tech since January 2021 with $34 more billion available to fund new climate companies.

I don't believe in techno-solutionnism and that climate tech is THE solution to fight climate change without changing anything to our current lifestlyes, however I am convinced at this stage that every bit will help and I am glad to see money invested in that sector while everything else seems to be crashing.

There might be some good opportunites for those of you from the tech sector looking for meaning at work! I don't see the climate tech sector going under anytime soon as long as climate change is an issue.

I sometimes worry this might be a solution that doesn't really address the root of the problem. Like it's the neo-liberalisation of the climate movements.

If we are worried about the environment shouldn't we be looking to economic models that don't rely on exponential growth and over-consumption. But these solutions don't feed into the business of tech. Interested in your thoughts though, thanks for sharing.

>If we are worried about the environment shouldn't we be looking to economic models that don't rely on exponential growth and over-consumption.

I 100% agree with that and I think the main focus should be on sobriety, fast.

However, SOME tech will be needed, even in the context of a low-carbon sustainable society. How do we stay under the 2°C trajectory while maintaining a decent quality of life for everyone?

I'm no techno evangelist and I think there will be a LOT of bullshit to call out in climate tech, but some of it will be very welcome. For instance, having small, local, reliable and sustainable energy generation projects, or keeping our advances in medicine and agriculture while living with limited energy resources.

Definitely a lot to think about but I'd rather see brains working on that that developing the latest financial market algorithm for those sweets 0.00001 second automated transactions.

The following submission statement was provided by /u/berlinparisexpress:

As we read more everyday about tech company layoffs, the ongoing Twitter drama and the latest crypto crash, I find it interesting to see that $94 billion has been invested in climate tech since January 2021 with $34 more billion available to fund new climate companies.

I don't believe in techno-solutionnism and that climate tech is THE solution to fight climate change without changing anything to our current lifestlyes, however I am convinced at this stage that every bit will help and I am glad to see money invested in that sector while everything else seems to be crashing.

There might be some good opportunites for those of you from the tech sector looking for meaning at work! I don't see the climate tech sector going under anytime soon as long as climate change is an issue.

Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/zfw2om/big_tech_is_laying_staff_off_but_climate_tech_is/izdud4v/

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Exactly. The apocolypse is less threatening to capitalism than stopping the apocolypse. thats all there is to it.

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Or you know, just stop cutting trees and invest in public transport.

Duh. Now go do it.

I really don't like how the words "big tech" now exclusively refers to FANG webservice companies and not technology in general. It's like people can't even think about technology as a physical thing anymore, and exclusively as internet-based software. On that point, does anyone really think Bechtel or Wilcox weren't hiring? These are huge companies that build our naval reactors, technology that is being adapted to build commercial reactors. These are difficult jobs that most people cannot fulfill because they require lots of skill, knowledge, and technological readiness not excel proficency.

Ditto for the companies building H2 cells for things like locomotive for fleet trucks. Those are undoubtedly technology companies but you won't see Google programmers lined up to work in a dirty workshop where such devices are made. Nor the actual computer/electronics chip fabs that are being scaled up to bring chip production back home.

"Climate tech is hiring at a substantially lower rate"

55k(euro) is what I saw for the average developer. Compared to $120k(dollar) for the same position in the US.

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When will people understand that there is no longer tech and non-tech. Any company that is not in tech, or actively trying to convert themselves, is done for.

Sadly, that’s always been the case here.

Which is fine because cost of living is different, and your taxes actually go into social programs like healthcare, education, and childcare.

Here, people are convinced that healthcare should be for profit. And education is going that way as well. So we have to pay thousands every year out of pocket just to see a doctor(my copay was 6k before the insurance I pay $600 a month for kicked in). And spend on average of $17k a year on daycare.

Meaning, basic healthcare and one child's daycare, has now eaten more than 50% of the take home.

But, I'd honestly be so much happier making a much smaller salary if I knew that a lot of the costs of my day to day were taken care of no matter what. If I lose a job here. I am unable to see a doctor until I get another job.

Yea, healthcare is cheaper. Daycare… not so much depending on the country.

Child daycare would literally cost 66% of my monthly salary after taxes. Which would leave me with a little bit more than 1k euros to pay for rent and groceries.. my rent is 900 lol. So 100 euros for groceries…

> Which is fine because cost of living is different,

lol plug in real income adjustment to that 55k euros and guess what it's still nowhere close to 120k usd in the US.

You post a bunch of numbers which was really a huge waste of time when you can just adjust for purchasing power parity.

Downvote more europoors

Exponential growth isn't a problem, as technology and effincy improves guess what you get.....growth.

also laughs in africa and the rest of the developing world they could give a shit less what westerners think.

So the obvious solution would be......a carbon tax.

> I don't believe in techno-solutionnism and that climate tech is THE solution to fight climate change without changing anything to our current lifestlyes, however I am convinced at this stage that every bit will help and I am glad to see money invested in that sector while everything else seems to be crashing.

meh just implement a massive carbon tax.

Actually you want to cut down trees, mainly the oldest ones, then plant new ones.

Growing trees take out more CO2 than older trees. Probably get some GMO trees going.

Wouldnt the co2 from the older trees just make it back into the system though? Offsetting the gains from the new tree

Definitely check out climatebase.org for climate jobs if you're looking! I found my last two jobs (as a product/UX/UI designer) through there. Great email newsletter, too!

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Depends on what you do with it. Burn it for fuel or let it rot, yes. Build with it, and it stays sequestered.

People only seem to care if Twitter employees are being laid off

Only if you burn them, use them for something like a house then nope. Also even if you did burn them it doesn't release all the carbon they ever sequestered.

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Yes, we are hiring. All top candidates. We have our pick of the litter.

That’s great news! Anyone got any links to Junior Dev roles?

Yes, a carbon tax is a great solution, but we the people have a hard enough time as it is to convince the deniers/brainwashed into realizing that climate change is a real threat. So, they not only don’t support us, but sometimes fight us.

We need time that we don’t have, so I feel like this is a great backup option of dumping money and efforts into improving our situation, educating the public, and providing cheaper and better options to finally force the hands of the greedy elite.

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I mean the article does mention that you're not necessarily looking at a pay cut but they also qualify that statement as no pay cuts for top talent. Which I guess is great if you're a top person in the tech field but for the rest of us seems a little unclear.

Climate tech is mostly nonsense though; they are mostly energy brokers and consumer analytics. I even doubt that climate tech even exist. Solarpanels and batteries are made in China so that cant be it.

Helpful article for understanding what climate tech jobs to look for:
https://climatetechtrends.com/articles/climate-tech-jobs

Yeah I agree, they tried to implement a carbon tax in France, and it resulted in the yellow vest movement. Working class people don't appreciate being told they will be taxed for need based consumption when the wealthy are creating huge emissions.