My Inc. post today, “The Business Skills That Will Solve Global Warming,” begins
The Business Skills That Will Solve Global Warming
Science and education got us far, but won’t get us to the finish line. We need to understand what motivates people and use it to change our behavior.
As New York City prepares for another 74 degree November day this week, it’s getting harder to remember that warm weather isn’t climate. Sadly, the evidence for climate change is overwhelming anyway, along with its calamitous predictions.
Want to change a nation’s behavior regarding climate?
Leaders know what will work more than anyone, and not just bringing technology like renewable energy or electric cars to market. Technology is essential, but I mean leadership to drive systemic change. Technology is just one element of that system.
A key leverage point for a system is its goals.
Our current system’s goal is growth–GDP growth, which requires population growth, which is unsustainable. People consider alternatives–such as a steady-state economy–impossible, ignoring that perpetual growth doesn’t work so we have to develop alternatives.
Sound impossible? We as a culture have changed systems and their underlying beliefs before, so we can do it again. It takes leadership and the business world currently has the most effective leaders.
What has worked: past systemic change
Consider
- Smoking
- Drinking and driving
- Wearing seat belts
Read the rest at The Business Skills That Will Solve Global Warming.