Technology & Climate Anxiety

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Hey everyone,

It’s the first Thursday of April, which means it’s time for a deep dive into a topic many of you have asked about.

Behind all the technology I usually cover, there’s something deeply human affecting more and more of us: climate anxiety.

It’s not just fear about where we stand today, it’s the dread that we’re not moving fast enough to prevent catastrophe. That everything we care about is at risk. And with every passing day, climate anxiety is becoming increasingly common, especially among young people.

So where does technology fit into all this? Is it just adding to the noise? Or can it help us to feel more informed, more empowered and maybe even a little hopeful?

Let’s dive in.

The Double-Edged Sword of Tech

I love technology. I write about it each week, I work as a technology consultant by day, and I genuinely believe that many answers to the climate crisis lie in innovation.

That said, I can’t deny the fact that when it comes to climate anxiety, technology is a big part of the problem.

On the surface, we live in a world flooded with negative climate headlines, apocalyptic predictions and sadly, the ever-present misinformation and even denial. To say it’s overwhelming is an understatement.

Even the technology itself can often feel distant and like a bit of a fantasy. Billion-dollar start-ups working on problems most of us don’t even understand, with solutions hidden away in futuristic labs or VC boardrooms far away from daily life.

And beneath all that, technology is also making us feel more disconnected than ever. Everything we interact with is increasingly automated, digitalised, and optimised. Even the solutions we have can feel worlds away, abstract concepts rather than tangible options.

Tech is often positioned as the “silver bullet” of climate change, but deep down, we all know there is no such thing. No amount of clean energy or futuristic tech matters without real systemic change across entire industries, governments and societies.

So while I passionately believe in climate tech, I also see it contributing to a growing sense of anxiety and helplessness. That’s a serious problem because, without hope, we risk people losing the fight to act.

But that’s only one side of the story.

Tech That Builds Agency

On the flip side, the right technology, used in the right way, can reduce anxiety. It doesn't remove the urgency or pretend the threat doesn’t exist, but it can restore something that climate anxiety often takes away from us: a sense of agency and control.

It’s the belief that our actions still matter and that we’re not powerless to help change things.

In recent years, there has been a wave of new technology tools that help people better understand and reduce their environmental impact. Most of these are connected to our daily lives, how we eat, travel, shop and power our homes, and provide practical guidance on how our actions impact the planet, and how we can improve.

These tools do a lot more than just show us fancy calculations and charts. They help to reframe the entire climate problem and shift people’s perspective. When climate action becomes small, achievable tasks that you can directly engage with, it helps people feel like a part of a greater solution, not just observers of an impending crisis.

When people start tracking their own impact, they start to see change. Both in their impact, but in how they view their part in the solution.

The shift from fear to participation is one of the most powerful things that technology can offer.

Making Progress Visible

One of the most frustrating things about climate action is how invisible progress can feel. Removing 50 million tons of carbon from an industry is incredible, but when global total emissions keep rising it feels like one step forward, two steps back!

At a time when so much of what we hear is about delays, failures and tipping points, technology is starting to help shine a light on all the incredible progress we are making, even when it doesn’t make the headlines.

Satellite imagery, machine learning, remote sensors and other monitoring tools are helping to track the health of the planet more accurately than ever before. They’re not always pretty pictures, but they’re real insights, grounded in data that lets us track and report on climate action and the impact it’s having.

Even if the numbers don’t fill us with hope, they give us a more realistic view of where we stand than we’ve ever had before.

That’s a big step, because transparency into where we stand helps build back trust, and trust helps to reduce fear and anxiety.

What helps me

Every week, I write an optimistic article about sustainable technology. But do I suffer from climate anxiety? Absolutely.

Writing about incredible innovations often gives me hope, and it’s one of the main reasons I started this newsletter in the first place!

But the biggest thing that helps me when I’m feeling anxious? It’s the little things. If you look around, you’ll start to notice countless examples of technology quietly nudging things in the right direction.

I’m talking about things like the increased number of EVs you see on the road, the recyclable packaging in your local shops, the energy-saving sensor lighting in your office.

These aren’t the big fancy innovations that grab headlines. They’re the subtle, quiet, often boring things that together, all add up to a much bigger impact.

On their own, these might not fill you with excitement and hope. But in my experience just knowing they exist and are growing rapidly can often be a grounding reminder that the transition is already underway. We’re not starting from zero.

Hope isn’t nice, it’s necessary

Sustainable technology isn’t going to solve our climate anxiety on its own. But it can help us to reshape the future we’re heading toward, the one that so many of us are increasingly anxious about.

At its core, climate anxiety isn’t just about the planet. It’s about the fear that we’re powerless to change what’s coming.

And that’s why it’s so important that we know there are real solutions out there, making a difference and slowly moving the needle in the right direction.

When we view technology with that mindset, we see a more positive picture.

We start to see a future of restoration. A future of resilience. A future of collaboration and innovation.

Technology can’t replace human action. But it can go a long way in helping it, support it, and make it feel possible.

That’s just my take, but I'd love to hear yours. What’s your experience with climate anxiety? And does technology help you feel hopeful?

Catch you next week!
James

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