Blog: The Role of Technology
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Technological developments have been, more than anything else, responsible for our current dilemma of global warming. We are suffering extreme heat and unprecedented floods in other places. The mighty Euphrates River is drying up. Changing climatic conditions are disrupting the global ecology with potential devastating consequences for production of food. We are approaching the CODE RED warning according to Antonio Guterez.
Photo: Steam engines from the Industrial Age up unto the early 1970’s caused far more air pollution than modern rail transport.
Although it is true that technical development has been (and largely is) responsible for the environmental crisis, the possibility that this could become an important instrument in the solution of the crisis, should not be overlooked at all. On the contrary, technology did bring about many problems, but technology can, and do have, many solutions. Recent developments in the technosphere are showing much potential. The Daily Maverick reported on 21 August 2021: “Whether it be flighting electrically charged drones to make it rain or releasing sulphur dioxides into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight, (we) are increasingly looking to geoengineering technologies and techniques to save humanity from the worst impacts of the climate crisis”.
Photo: Due to a change in technology from mechanical manufacturing to electric and electronic designs, the personal computor succeeded the typewriter in terms of speed, versitality (internet browsing, communication, multimedia creation, and data analysis) storage and retrieval, connectivity, automation as well as enabling collaboration, to mention just a few.
Notwithstanding the economic theory of degrowth which pleads for less development the answer to humankind’s struggle for a better future does not necessarily lie in inhibiting development, but in more effective and imaginative use of existing resources. Attention should be given to the difference between the so-called “hard” and “soft” technology. Hard technology is the traditional approach of industrialization. Modern literature on the other hand has paid much attention to the “soft” or applicable or ecologically friendly, technology.
The development of electronics should play a key role. Alvin Toffler forecasted already in 1980 that a large-scale development in electronics would mean the end of the heavy industries that caused so much deterioration of the environment and will reduce pollution due to travel/transport to a minimum. The move towards on-line communication and working from home due to Covid 19 proved this prediction to have been correct.
Innovative technology to save, and to develop, the quality of our resources (air, water, etc.) and improve production (agriculture, etc.) and develop new exiting energy sources (geothermal, etc.),is essential. As recent engineering reaches unimaginable heights of knowledge and ability, the depictions of the future that seem to come from science-fiction movies, are becoming more feasible than ever. The list of innovations is growing every day. Some of the recent innovations are the possibility of irrigating vast dry areas by means of solar power pumps, backed by new technologies in desalinization, innovative agriculture and factory farming, developing new renewable energy sources, energy storage devices, increased food production via GMO, biodegradable plastics, recycling techniques, electric cars, small wind generators to suit private homes; jets flying with a carbon negative biofuel made from algae, unlimited energy from hydrogen.
Physicists are developing methods of nuclear fusion where two atoms are slammed together to form a heavier nucleus. The process unleashes great amounts of energy. Nuclear fusion development is thus bringing us a step closer to a new commercially viable clean, sustainable, always available, energy source. China is on the verge of testing a potentially revolutionary technology that would allow it to harvest solar energy at any time of day and night. The method would use an orbital satellite station to send an uninterrupted powerful beam of solar energy down to Earth from space. A microwave-emitting device, called a gyrotron, claims that we can soon have technology to capture geothermal energy on a scale large enough to meet human energy needs for millions of years.
Photo: Solar and nuclear energy and cloudseeding and artificial intelligence are technologies that hold great promise for the near future.
A breakthrough in solar-powered water harvesting uses an innovative gel and system design to efficiently extract water from the atmosphere. This technology could revolutionize water access in arid, sunny regions, meeting critical needs for drinking water and other uses. Innovations are not limited to the earth itself. Concerning limited resources on Earth, the University of Arizona is developing a swarm of autonomous robots that could search and mine for rare earth metals on the Moon. Rolls-Royce has revealed a compact nuclear fission plant that can be sent from Earth to power lunar bases around the clock. 1South African company SeaH4 has won an international innovation award (2024) for turning seaweed that it grows in small ponds on local soil into eco-friendly fuel. Artificial Intelligence is moving towards construction in space without man being directly involved. The day is coming when quantum computers, (Artificial Intelligence) once the stuff of science fiction, will help scientists solve complex, real-world survival problems. (For updates follow “The Cool Down” hello@thecooldown.com).
What is interesting is that these new inventions were mostly not spontaneous developments but driven by necessity. Necessity is the mother of invention. As icebergs are starting to melt, we are desperately attending to arrest global warming. After scientists found a hole in the ozone layer, we banned the ozone-harming chemicals (chlorofluorocarbons – CFCs). We found that acid rain is caused by sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide that damages soil, trees, and aquatic animals, thus we arranged international treaties to limit this effect. Shall we keep on “extinguishing fires where we see smoke” or avoiding them beforehand by adhering to Nature’s directives?
The value of technology can be summarized under the following categories:
- Renewable Energy: Technologies like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and decrease carbon emissions.
- Efficient Resource Use: Technologies like recycling, circular economy, and sustainable manufacturing can help reduce waste and optimize resource use.
- Climate Change Mitigation: Technologies like carbon capture, geoengineering, and climate-resilient infrastructure can help mitigate the effects of climate change.
- Sustainable Transportation: Electric and hybrid vehicles, public transportation, and alternative modes of transportation can reduce emissions and promote sustainable transportation.
- Environmental Monitoring: Technologies like satellite imaging, sensors, and data analytics can help monitor and track environmental changes, enabling data-driven decision-making.
- Sustainable Agriculture: Technologies like vertical farming, and regenerative agriculture can promote sustainable agriculture practices and reduce the environmental impact of conventional farming.
Photo: The building, manufacturing, maintenance, and disposal of ‘renewable’ technologies such as hydro-electric dams and solar farms require significant energy inputs
Whilst technology is crucial for civilization to advance, and to address environmental challenges, it operates within the confines of thermodynamic laws that impose limits on energy efficiency and resource limits. The laws of thermodynamics highlight fundamental constraints that limit the potential of technology to ensure human survival and ecological sustainability “single handed”.
The 1st Law of Thermodynamics says that energy and matter cannot be created or destroyed. Technological processes that generate energy (such as windmills) still rely on existing energy sources for construction and decommissioning after its lifespan; whether renewable or non-renewable. A frightening fact emerging from this Law is that ultimately we will run out of resources. We live in a “spaceship” situation. The faster we “develop” the quicker we will run out of matter available or producing products.
The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics (Entropy) rules that in any energy transfer or transformation of matter, some energy is lost as wasted heat, increasing the entropy (disorder) of the system. The result is that technological processes are not perfectly efficient. This means that no matter how advanced our technology becomes, we cannot achieve 100% efficiency in energy use. As we scale up technological solutions, the cumulative inefficiencies and waste generated can still lead to environmental degradation and resource depletion. Thus, there is always a balance to maintain, and the total energy demand may still surpass what sustainable technologies can supply.
And we must be thoroughly mindful of what they call, the Rebound Effect. Increased efficiency through technology often lead to even greater overall consumption. “Supply creates Demand”. For instance, more efficient cars might encourage longer driving distances, negating fuel savings. Cheaper energy leads to more production of non-essential goods. We must realize that technological solutions often produce pollutants and waste products, e-waste, chemical byproducts, and non-recyclable materials contribute to environmental problems.
The negative environmental impacts of technological development might be summarized as follow:
- Air Pollution: Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas for energy releases pollutants, including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, which can cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in humans and animals. It also contributes to acid rain, which harms ecosystems and infrastructure.
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The combustion of fossil fuels is a major source of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), potent greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming and climate change. This results in habitat loss, altered weather patterns, and sea-level rise, which threaten biodiversity and human settlements.
- Water Pollution: Energy production processes, such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and oil drilling, can contaminate water supplies with chemicals, heavy metals, and radioactive materials. Thermal pollution from power plants can also disrupt aquatic ecosystems by raising water temperatures.
- Land Degradation: Extracting fossil fuels through mining or drilling can lead to habitat destruction, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity. The infrastructure for energy production, including pipelines and power plants, can fragment landscapes and disrupt wildlife corridors.
- Resource Depletion: Non-renewable energy sources like coal, oil, and natural gas are finite. Their extraction and use not only deplete these resources but also cause environmental damage, making it unsustainable in the long term.
- Waste Generation: Energy production generates waste, including toxic byproducts from coal ash and nuclear waste from nuclear power plants. These wastes pose long-term environmental and health risks if not managed properly.
Conclusion.
While the brilliance of technology can achieve much for continuous development in the short term, the long-term repercussions of technological development must be considered if we wish to move towards a more equitable and sustainable future.
The aptitude of people for non-essential goods will have to be revisited and adapted. Governments will have to put long term survival above the urge to make short term promises to voters at the polls. International cooperation (vs antagonism and hostility) will be essential e.g. for the distribution of information as well as resources such as water and energy. The unproductive uses of riches of the ultra-rich will have to be ploughed back into productive farming and manufacturing processes.
While technology is crucial for addressing environmental challenges, it operates within the confines of thermodynamic laws that impose limits on energy efficiency and resource use, incorporating technological innovation, sustainable practices, and reduced consumption, is essential for long-term human survival and ecological balance. Although all will support the purposeful development of technology, it will do well to keep Albert Einstein’s comment in mind: “I fear the day technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” It must be combined with a holistic approach inclusive of behavioural change within communities and individuals to reduce their excessive luxury lifestyles to live within the limitations laid down by nature.
Photo: Albert Einstein: “I fear the day technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”