The Coming Age of Climate Change Disruptors

Whether naysayers want to believe it or not, the climate is changing. How well we as a species survive depends on how well we adapt.

This is where the concept of climate change disruption comes in. There are two very different routes this concept takes. One: how climate change is disrupting our marketplace and economy. Two: how disruptors can mitigate the effects of climate change.

Let’s look at the first angle: how climate change is disrupting our marketplace and economy. It’s already disrupting our planet, as the decreasing forests and increasing acidity in our water supply show.

The effects of flooding, for example, will lead to economic losses and these losses will have a definite domino effect. Worldwide the economic losses over the next 20 years could be over $600 billion.

Agriculture and food security are two connected issues that come into play when we look at the damaging effects of climate change. The changing weather patterns, atmospheric conditions and presence of pests that come as part of climate change are having an impact on agriculture and our ability to ensure a steady food supply.

Climate change and climate risk are also having a serious impact on the housing market. As sea levels rise insurance rates and property values of coastal properties are seeing the direct effects. Property taxes will also see a rise as resident levels and environmental impacts change. All this will in turn impact how the real estate market moves.

Increasing temperatures will also have a major effect on productivity. Rising heat levels result in decreased productivity and increased risk of injury—neither of which is good for the business world.

As our climate continues to change we will see in greater detail how this is disrupting our economy. The important question is how we will adapt.

Climate change disruption is happening another way and this way is also very important. Amazing work is being done to combat the effects of climate change and these disruptors deserve our attention.

Although modern technology’s contribution to climate change is obvious and a major issue, said technology’s ability to combat the effects can and should not be ignored.

Big data will prove to be a major asset in the war against climate change and smart innovators have seen this. Companies like Orbital Insight are using the amazing potential big data brings with it to track vital issues like water or oil reserves and deforestation. This, naturally, is an incredibly important tool to have at our disposal when it comes to fighting (or at least limiting) the effects of climate change.

Energy disruptors will also prove to be incredibly important in the coming years as our current sources (oil, coal, nuclear) and their damaging effects force us to uncover the next major provider. Smart companies know this and are preparing to angle themselves as the solution. Keep a watch out for companies like CleanChoice Energy and MPOWERD, as they are bringing forth the next generation of energy and will prove to be incredibly important in the coming years.

Climate change is a devastating reality that can’t be ignored and how the business world and economies react may prove to be the deciding factor in our future survival.

Here’s the reality: we need disruptors because our world is facing disruption. Our survival may depend on it.

This is why CleanTech is a force that needs our attention, support and adoption. The adoption of these tech innovations are an important step in Canada reaching its 2030 emissions goal. Not only that, CleanTech adoption is how we will manage to hold onto so many of the technological advantages we have come to rely on and also reduce our carbon footprint.

The importance of breakthroughs like the electric car (according to Clean Energy Canada we will soon have 217 models available to us), alternative energy and carbon capture cannot be ignored. The age of disruption is upon us and we need to make sure that the business disruption outplays the environmental disruption. After all, the business disruption is bringing in amazing innovations while the environmental disruption may see the end of our time on this earth.

Investment in CleanTech is growing across the globe. Let’s keep pressure on our governments and entrepreneurs to maintain this path.

It can be argued that the world is constantly in a state of disruption, with different forces constantly battling to upend the status quo and bring in a new era on the earth. Whether this is true or not does not diminish the importance of the current climate change disruptions going on.

How we act and what we do now and in the near future will potentially decide the future of our species. Will we amend our ways and adopt new, cleaner ways of living or will we stick our heads in the sand and refuse to recognize what needs to be done (“It’s the next generation’s problem”), potentially pushing ourselves past the point of no return?

CleanTech shows we have the knowledge and the willpower to create cleaner innovations and modern climate change disruptors are giving us the chance to do what needs to be done. Let’s get to it!