16 design challenges & product ideas to help tackle climate change
If you want to design or launch products that address climate change, you can. And you don’t need a background in renewable energy or engineering.
There are hundreds of pressing, real world problems that need solutions if we’re to tackle the climate crisis. And many of these solutions would benefit from digital products, platforms or services.
I’ve listed a few of the problems below, along with some prompts to help generate ideas.
If these get you thinking and designing a climate tech case study for your portfolio, I’ll be very glad and I’d love to see it. Of course, if they help you on your way to launching a whole new product, tool or service, then I’ll be over the moon! (And I might even ask to join your team 😉)
Innovation and distraction
The problem:
Chasing grand tech innovations risks us doing nothing about the problems with the current systems. For example, a rush on carbon capture tech does little to help us change our polluting ways. Moreover, in some cases new innovations are backed by polluters themselves, so they can meanwhile continue their ‘business as usual’ approach.
Product ideas:
How Might We…
… show the links between polluting companies, their advocates and the companies involved in chasing new climate tech solutions?
… show who is setting the agenda for big tech innovation?
… evidence the links between polluters and their (less obvious) subsidiary companies?
Communities and collective power
The problem:
Collaboration and collective power = systemic transformation. Without it, it cannot happen.
Product ideas:
How Might We…
… bring together people who have the important, different assets of Money, Authority, Tech or Followers?
… create spaces that allow inspiring conversations and actions to happen, particularly amongst commonly overlooked communities.
Climate justice:
The problem:
In the face of urgent crises, justice is being sacrificed in the rush for speed and scale of change. Despite their benefits, there’s a rise in flashpoints e.g. on planned taxes on suburban car use, or the proposed locations of wind farms. Meanwhile the number of laws that discourage new solar and wind installations are increasing, as are the number of community challenges against them.
Product ideas:
How Might We…
… show that the number of laws and challenges are increasing?
… help affected communities see how they can share in the benefits from renewable energy projects?
… better involve communities in the design of new laws and policies? So that policies are delivered with communities, not done to them?
Information
The problem:
We wrongly assume that people need more information about climate change. They don’t. Most people engage with climate based on the things that matter to them. For example, we need to understand what climate change and (by extension) plans for more renewable energy might mean for a hard-working miner, or a hard-working oil rig engineer, etc.
Product ideas:
How Might We…
… better listen to people who might be affected by efforts to combat climate change?
… help organisations and activists adapt their messaging to what matter to real-world individuals?
Climate NGOs
The problem:
Climate NGOs are shy of the media. They fear that they won’t be reflected well and that the media will be critical. So they don’t have well-practised broadcast media skills.
Product ideas:
How Might We…
… upskill NGOs quickly so that they can go to places where are hard questions might be asked
… help grow NGO’s confidence in their media and interview skills.
Trusted messengers
The problem:
Charities and activists think they’re the messengers to bring about social change on climate. But they’re just not trusted messengers for many people. Meanwhile change in social norms and behaviours can be achieved through our everyday, interpersonal connections.
Product ideas:
How Might We…
… help people see how their climate positive behaviour can positively influence others (e.g. their family, the neighbours on their street etc)
… help people see the potential power to influence they have in their own lives.
… show people that changing social norms in small ways (e.g. within families and between neighbours) is effective when totaled together
… help CEOs to become effective messengers within their businesses [fun fact: “CEOs” in general are not trusted. But the boss of your own company generally is!]
I hope that’s all been useful and gets your mind going. If you’re interested, these problems and How Might We’s were inspired by some talks by Client Earth, an environmental charity that uses the law to better protect people and planet.
Here’s a couple of them:
Technology vs system change - can technology tackle the climate crisis
Bridging the divide - how to discuss climate change?
Cover photo by Matt Palmer on Unsplash
Oil rigs photo by Ben Wicks on Unsplash
Activists photo by Tobias Rademacher on Unsplash