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This article presents a wide-ranging discussion of how to factor climate change into efforts to make the world a better place. The article relates climate change to other global catastrophic risks and related issues. It emphasizes the value of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and explains which activities are effective at reducing emissions.
The article begins as follows:
Summary: How to factor climate change into our efforts to make the world a better place. For people new to climate change and experts alike. Includes what to do on climate change if you are focused on a different cause. Bottom line: everyone should have climate change in their portfolio of causes, though not necessarily as their primary focus. Details include how to reduce your own emissions, influencing society’s emissions, and career options.
Opening Remarks
What is this post and how should you read it?
This post is how I think people should think about climate change, especially people trying to make the world a better place. It’s written for a few audiences:
- Anyone with a general interest in climate change: Are you familiar with the idea that climate change is a thing that’s happening, is considered to be a problem, and has something to do with greenhouse gases (GHGs)? If so, you’re ready to read this post. The career advice at the end is more specialized, but most of the post is written for you, especially to help you account for climate change in your efforts to make the world a better place.
- Climate Experts: There will likely be some details of interest throughout, perhaps especially in the career advice section, though much of the content will be familiar. I would also read this for ideas on how to talk about climate change to wider audiences. Notice e.g. how I frame things, what specifics I discuss, and also what specifics I don’t discuss (e.g., almost the entirety of climate science & impacts). I see a lot of content from climate experts that, in my view, do these things poorly. And please chime in with anything you have to add, contest, etc.
- People focused on other causes, including other global catastrophic risks and existential risks (GCRs/XRisks): The post makes some important points about how to engage with climate change itself and especially the field of people working on climate change. This should be worth your time. See in particular the section “It’s fine to focus on other issues, but please do so respectfully”, and also the section “Persuasion”.
The remainder of this article is available in the Effective Altruism Forum.
Image credit: NASA
This blog post was published on 15 December 2022 as part of a website overhaul and backdated to reflect the time of the publication of the work referenced here.
