Climate change could increase global instability, as weather-related events displaced an estimated 21.5 million people on average each year over the past decade. This is more than twice the number of people displaced due to conflict and violence.
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For instance, car emissions are only ~2x higher than emissions from cement (Our World in Data), but there’s almost 10x the investment on electric cars ($225bnglobalinvestmentinEVsandbatteriesbycarmakers(excludingbatterymanufacturersandresearchers)in2020](https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/exclusive-global-carmakers-now-target-515-billion-evs-batteries-2021-11-10/)vs[$ vs $25bn into green cement in 2021). This suggests that there are better opportunities — “low-hanging fruit” — for your efforts to reduce emissions by greening cement production.
- View Highlight
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The burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal, and gas) account for over 75% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and ~90% of all carbon dioxide emissions (UN, which trap the sun’s heat and raise the surface temperature of the Earth, causing long-term shifts in weather patterns and other devastating effects on our environment. Figure 2 shows the main sectors that contribute to GHG emissions:
)
- View Highlight
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- View Highlight
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Mining and other industrial processes release gases, as does the construction industry (cement contributes ~8% of global carbon dioxide emissions). Manufacturing machines often run on fossil fuels. Furthermore, some materials like plastics are made from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels.
- View Highlight
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Industrious Labs is an environmental campaign organisation that strategically coordinates other organisations to decarbonise heavy industry.
- View Highlight
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Superhot rock geothermal energy can be generated from dry rock that’s 400C or higher. It exists all over the earth at depths between 2 - 12 miles (3 - 20 km. However, it’s almost entirely unrecognised in the decarbonisation landscape.
The Clean Air Task Force, a climate non-profit, finds that with investment in innovation, superhot rock geothermal energy can be commercialised and deployed rapidly in the 2030s. It could be cost-competitive with other zero-carbon technologies while also, importantly, having a small land footprint.
There are many opportunities for all kinds of engineers in this area. We think that Reservoir Engineers and other Petroleum Engineers are likely to have transferable skills (e.g. experience in deep drilling) that could be applicable to this industry.)
- View Highlight
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Nuclear energy has been around for more than half a century and is one of the safest, cleanest, and most reliable sources of energy. The biggest hurdles to nuclear fission are mostly in regulation and a negative public perception, so a career in policy or advocacy is likely to be the most impactful in this area. However, there are some technical bottlenecks that require engineering expertise to solve, such as in Advanced Modular Reactors. Read more in the Nuclear Energy sub-page.
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(highlight:: Since heavy industry accounts for around 1/3 of global GHG emissions, decarbonising these complex production processes could be highly impactful. Heavy industry is usually relatively difficult to decarbonise compared to other emissions sources, and requires specific solutions.
High-leverage opportunities are mostly in corporate and government spending and decision-making (where Industrious Labs, a Giving Green-recommended non-profit, operates), but there are significant engineering bottlenecks in this area. Decarbonisation is likely to have positive externalities, such as reduced pollution of the local environment.)
- View Highlight
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(highlight:: With low confidence, we believe that CDR is most important and neglected of these carbon capture, removal and storage technologies, and the current bottlenecks in development and deployment are very technical.
However, there is a risk of carbon capture being used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and other fossil fuel interests, which is probably net harmful. Read more about carbon capture technologies and their risks on the Carbon Capture, Removal and Storage sub-page.)
- View Highlight
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• Figure 9 shows projected damages from warming temperatures (these models have been criticised for likely underestimating climate damage, but the important takeaway is not the absolute level of climate damage, but the shape.

This non-linearity means that it is more important to shift from 5 to 4.5 degrees warming in a 5-degree scenario than it is to shift from 3 to 2.5 degrees in a 3-degree world. Even if a 5-degree world is less likely than the 3-degree one (e.g. because it is likely that all mainstream solutions succeed to land us in the 3-degree world, rather than the 5-degree world), working on solutions to prevent the worst from happening in a 5-degree world could be vital if current mainstream solutions fail (see Founders Pledge).)
- View Highlight
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(highlight:: As an engineer, your numerical skills and technical knowledge can be very valuable in other types of roles. These roles could include:
• Policy, advocacy and leadership
• Climate finance/venture capital
• Grantmaking
• Donating to effective climate charities)
- View Highlight
-

Arguably most jobs in climate aren’t all that effective, with many companies routinely exaggerating or misreporting their progress. To maximise your likelihood of having an impact, it may be a good idea to do your research into the company to understand the true impact of a particular role there.
- View Highlight
-

In our experience, most engineers keen to make a social impact first land on climate change as an area in which to do good. This means that it is likely that ‘green jobs’ are in higher demand, so the next best engineer for the job is likely to do just as good a job as you would have done. As a result, your counterfactual impact in climate change is unlikely to be very high, and you’re likely to be relatively replaceable in climate change work relative to other cause areas. However, if you have an especially good personal fit for the position, then you’re probably not as replaceable.
- View Highlight
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- [note::This is the primary reason I'm hesitant to work on climate in an engineering capacity - my counterfactual impact is unlikely to high, given the average engineer interested in making an impact on climate.]

Climate change could increase global instability, as weather-related events displaced an estimated 21.5 million people on average each year over the past decade. This is more than twice the number of people displaced due to conflict and violence.
- View Highlight
-

For instance, car emissions are only ~2x higher than emissions from cement (Our World in Data), but there’s almost 10x the investment on electric cars ($225bnglobalinvestmentinEVsandbatteriesbycarmakers(excludingbatterymanufacturersandresearchers)in2020](https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/exclusive-global-carmakers-now-target-515-billion-evs-batteries-2021-11-10/)vs[$ vs $25bn into green cement in 2021). This suggests that there are better opportunities — “low-hanging fruit” — for your efforts to reduce emissions by greening cement production.
- View Highlight
-

The burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal, and gas) account for over 75% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and ~90% of all carbon dioxide emissions (UN, which trap the sun’s heat and raise the surface temperature of the Earth, causing long-term shifts in weather patterns and other devastating effects on our environment. Figure 2 shows the main sectors that contribute to GHG emissions:
)
- View Highlight
-

- View Highlight
-

Mining and other industrial processes release gases, as does the construction industry (cement contributes ~8% of global carbon dioxide emissions). Manufacturing machines often run on fossil fuels. Furthermore, some materials like plastics are made from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels.
- View Highlight
-

Industrious Labs is an environmental campaign organisation that strategically coordinates other organisations to decarbonise heavy industry.
- View Highlight
-

Superhot rock geothermal energy can be generated from dry rock that’s 400C or higher. It exists all over the earth at depths between 2 - 12 miles (3 - 20 km. However, it’s almost entirely unrecognised in the decarbonisation landscape.
The Clean Air Task Force, a climate non-profit, finds that with investment in innovation, superhot rock geothermal energy can be commercialised and deployed rapidly in the 2030s. It could be cost-competitive with other zero-carbon technologies while also, importantly, having a small land footprint.
There are many opportunities for all kinds of engineers in this area. We think that Reservoir Engineers and other Petroleum Engineers are likely to have transferable skills (e.g. experience in deep drilling) that could be applicable to this industry.)
- View Highlight
-

Nuclear energy has been around for more than half a century and is one of the safest, cleanest, and most reliable sources of energy. The biggest hurdles to nuclear fission are mostly in regulation and a negative public perception, so a career in policy or advocacy is likely to be the most impactful in this area. However, there are some technical bottlenecks that require engineering expertise to solve, such as in Advanced Modular Reactors. Read more in the Nuclear Energy sub-page.
- View Highlight
-

(highlight:: Since heavy industry accounts for around 1/3 of global GHG emissions, decarbonising these complex production processes could be highly impactful. Heavy industry is usually relatively difficult to decarbonise compared to other emissions sources, and requires specific solutions.
High-leverage opportunities are mostly in corporate and government spending and decision-making (where Industrious Labs, a Giving Green-recommended non-profit, operates), but there are significant engineering bottlenecks in this area. Decarbonisation is likely to have positive externalities, such as reduced pollution of the local environment.)
- View Highlight
-

(highlight:: With low confidence, we believe that CDR is most important and neglected of these carbon capture, removal and storage technologies, and the current bottlenecks in development and deployment are very technical.
However, there is a risk of carbon capture being used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and other fossil fuel interests, which is probably net harmful. Read more about carbon capture technologies and their risks on the Carbon Capture, Removal and Storage sub-page.)
- View Highlight
-

• Figure 9 shows projected damages from warming temperatures (these models have been criticised for likely underestimating climate damage, but the important takeaway is not the absolute level of climate damage, but the shape.

This non-linearity means that it is more important to shift from 5 to 4.5 degrees warming in a 5-degree scenario than it is to shift from 3 to 2.5 degrees in a 3-degree world. Even if a 5-degree world is less likely than the 3-degree one (e.g. because it is likely that all mainstream solutions succeed to land us in the 3-degree world, rather than the 5-degree world), working on solutions to prevent the worst from happening in a 5-degree world could be vital if current mainstream solutions fail (see Founders Pledge).)
- View Highlight
-

(highlight:: As an engineer, your numerical skills and technical knowledge can be very valuable in other types of roles. These roles could include:
• Policy, advocacy and leadership
• Climate finance/venture capital
• Grantmaking
• Donating to effective climate charities)
- View Highlight
-

Arguably most jobs in climate aren’t all that effective, with many companies routinely exaggerating or misreporting their progress. To maximise your likelihood of having an impact, it may be a good idea to do your research into the company to understand the true impact of a particular role there.
- View Highlight
-

In our experience, most engineers keen to make a social impact first land on climate change as an area in which to do good. This means that it is likely that ‘green jobs’ are in higher demand, so the next best engineer for the job is likely to do just as good a job as you would have done. As a result, your counterfactual impact in climate change is unlikely to be very high, and you’re likely to be relatively replaceable in climate change work relative to other cause areas. However, if you have an especially good personal fit for the position, then you’re probably not as replaceable.
- View Highlight
-
- [note::This is the primary reason I'm hesitant to work on climate in an engineering capacity - my counterfactual impact is unlikely to high, given the average engineer interested in making an impact on climate.]