Four Ways the Tech World Is Fighting Global Warming

Al Gore’s documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, debuted 10 years ago this year. See what is being done in the tech world to work to prevent the detrimental effects of global climate change.

It all kinda started off with a flip chart. Then, a slideshow, and eventually a movie. But really, it started with the industrial revolution. You might be wondering what I’m talking about by now, or you know with it’s recent ten year anniversary, I’m referring to Al Gore’s “Inconvenient Truth” about global warming.

And Gore was right on many of his predictions. CO2 levels ARE higher now than they have been the past 650,000 years. West Antarctica and major ice sheets in Greenland DO have the potential of melting, raising sea levels by 20 feet and causing 100 million refugees.

But, what is being done? Is there a plausible man-made solution, despite the The tech world has taken a stand since Gore’s film debuted back in 2006. Here are four of the biggest ways.

Breakthrough Energy Coalition:

Last November at the climate change summit in Paris, Bill Gate’s debuted his coalition of 28 high net worth investors, all being billionaire philanthropists. It’s goal is to lower the cost of implementation of clean energy plans across the globe.

The United Nations Paris Agreement

This past Earth day, 195 countries came together under the United Nations to sign the Paris Agreement. It was the first time in history that a global pact was made in regards to global climate change. One of the main goals of the agreement is to stop the temperature from raising above two degrees celsius what the temperature patterns were pre-industrial revolution. On the tech side of things, the agreement makes all of the participating countries responsible for making financial decisions in government consistent with climate-resilient development. Collectively, the group has pledged a collective $100 billion a year to providing preventative climate change technology to underdeveloped countries worldwide.

Job Growth in Renewable Clean Energy

http://gty.im/454253934

80% of energy consumption globally comes from fossil fuels. Since 2006, renewable energy has grown to be cheaper than fossil-fuel based electricity in many parts of the world. There is now 7,260 megawatts of direct current from solar power in the U.S, 6,800 megawatts more than 10 years ago. This is largely due to the rapid expansion of clean energy companies and ventures. Today, 2.5 million people work in clean energy technology jobs across the US and are now adding new jobs to the industry at a rate of approx. 30,000 new jobs per year.

Elon Musk Innovation. Period.

http://gty.im/489769706

While this dynamic CEO seems to be at the cusp of everything future related, one could say that his biggest contribution to climate change currently is his Tesla innovations.Today, there are more than than 1 million plug-in electric cars are on the road across the world, and a lot of this can be attributed to Musk’s vow for planetary health over capital gain.

A few years back, he made the patents for his electric cars open source, making it fair game for other car companies to develop fossil-fuelless car models.[adToAppearHere]

Musk’s self-driving cars also work against the detriment of global warming, because of it’s reduction of gas emissions.

His other ventures like the Hyperloop and SpaceX work in ways to decrease our carbon footprint.[adToAppearHere]

~ ~ ~