Climate change, or global warming, is a huge problem facing everyone on the planet, but what careers can help us fight against the rising temperatures? Due to the complexity and size of the challenge, it can be daunting to think about what you can do to help in the fight against climate change. This is especially true for young people. You might feel like you have inherited a world that relies heavily on burning fossil fuels like coal, oil or natural gas, to no fault of your own.
Many of you have understandably chosen to express your frustration. By participating in movements such as the Fridays For Future school climate strikes, you’ve shown your passion.
But what other options are there for young people to help in the fight against climate change? Are there perhaps career paths that lend themselves to making a positive impact on the planet?
The Careers To Save The Planet
The answer is an overwhelming yes! In fact, there are many industries – old and new – that offer jobs specifically tailored to tackling climate change. One of the exciting areas that needs young people, especially ones with STEM backgrounds, is the energy industry.
This is because the energy industry has the important responsibility of decarbonising our society’s energy mix. Decarbonisation reduces CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels such as oil and gas with renewable energy from the sun and wind. But this is not an easy task, so to achieve this the energy industry needs talented people to carry out jobs such as:
- Solar PV scientist or researcher (physics, chemistry, biology)
- Wind turbine engineer (civil, chemical, electrical, mechanical)
- Data scientist (mathematics, statistics, computer science)
- Chemistry and electricity experts and engineers (physics, chemistry, natural sciences)
- Environmentalist, policy analyst, public affairs (natural sciences, humanities)
And many, many more… After all, reimagining, reinventing and reconstructing the world’s energy infrastructure will require a monumental effort from employees all over the world.
But is there a way to continue the fight against climate change whilst still learning about the variety of STEM careers in the energy industry?
The good news is, the answer is YES! The Energy Institute has launched the Climate Change Champions Project. Individuals or groups (the Climate Change Champions) will connect with peers and professionals. Join the project for a day of mentoring, and brainstorming, before presenting ideas to experts at the Energy Institute.
At the end of the day, the winning idea and its inventors will receive a one-month mentorship program sponsored by the Energy Institute’s Young Professional Network. This will help the inventors accelerate and unlock the Climate Change Champions’ full potential. If you’re interested in climate change, you might also like:
