Fight Climate Change
How to tackle Climate Change with the Meta-Problem Method
Climate change is a big, hairy, scary and urgent challenge that we must meet. It’s also an invitation to use our human creativity and innovation to build a world that’s sustainable and fair.
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There are many problems we could tackle that would help to tame climate change, but we have limited resources. The question then becomes which problem (or cluster of problems) should we choose to solve? Which will give us the best bang for our buck?
That is a dilemma you can solve with the Meta-Problem. The Meta-Problem Method is about choosing the best problem to solve, but only after you’ve defined the goals you care about, explored your many options, and weighed the trade-offs. To learn more about the Meta-Problem approach, click here.
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The vast scale of climate change is daunting. Solving it requires individual actions from all of us, but also collective action at the level of communities and countries across our world.
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Of course we could always take the Homer Simpson option, crack open a beer and hit the couch. Heck, there might even be an opportunity to pick up some new oceanfront property in a few decades! But the science gets clearer every year that the path we’re on is a dead end, and the “dead” part is likely us humans.
What can I do?
Meta-Problem is all about deciding which problem to solve.
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When wrestling with an existential threat like climate change, the key decision we each need to make is what we’re willing to give up personally to solve a given problem. One of the simplest things you can do is to quit eating red meat – one meal with beef has the same environmental impact as multiple meals with other protein options. As you’re trying to decide what to do, there are a few key questions to ask yourself.
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What actions can I take in my personal and work life to directly reduce climate change? Switching to energy efficient light bulbs is one example, but a grocery store manager could take a chance on running out of stock to reduce waste, and anyone can minimize the number of documents they print.
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What actions can I influence others to take? Start with your family and friends, then think bigger, like communication campaigns, changing government standards like mileage rules for vehicles, or teaching kids the consequences of climate change.
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What am I willing and able to do? How can I apply my skillset to this problem? Which options will provide the greatest return compared to the effort involved?
How can I multiply my impact?
You can pursue a portfolio of actions that will together impact your goals. However, if you want to reduce the impacts of climate change at scale, you will need to move beyond direct action to influencing others.
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When it comes to influencing others, we all lead busy and time-poor lives, so be realistic, and remember that there are millions if not billions of people doing what they can.
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Choose an example below to learn more about the meta-problem framework and how it can help guide your choices.