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The New Prometheans: Technological Optimism in Climate Change Mitigation Modelling

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  • Michael Keary

Abstract

Technological change modelling (TCM) is quietly transforming the landscape of environmental debate. It provides a powerful new basis for technological optimism, which has long been a key battleground. The technique is at the heart of mainstream climate change mitigation policies and greatly strengthens environmentalism over ecologism. It seems to show that technological change can solve the problem. I argue that the models employ a flawed understanding of technological change and that policies based on them are a major gamble. The article aims to begin a wider debate on TCM, offering a defence of ecolo-gism rooted in the history of technology and SCOT literatures.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Keary, 2016. "The New Prometheans: Technological Optimism in Climate Change Mitigation Modelling," Environmental Values, , vol. 25(1), pages 7-28, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envval:v:25:y:2016:i:1:p:7-28
    DOI: 10.3197/096327115X14497392134801
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert K. Kaufmann, 2004. "The Mechanisms for Autonomous Energy Efficiency Increases: A Cointegration Analysis of the US Energy/GDP Ratio," The Energy Journal, , vol. 25(1), pages 63-86, January.
    2. William D. Nordhaus, 2014. "The Perils of the Learning Model for Modeling Endogenous Technological Change," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 1).
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    Cited by:

    1. Jennie C. Stephens, 2024. "The dangers of masculine technological optimism: Why feminist, antiracist values are essential for social justice, economic justice, and climate justice," Environmental Values, , vol. 33(1), pages 58-70, February.
    2. Alf Hornborg, 2024. "Beyond prometheanism: Modern technologies as strategies for redistributing time and space," Environmental Values, , vol. 33(1), pages 28-41, February.
    3. Andoni Alonso & Iñaki Arzoz, 2024. "The city of god revisited: Digitalism as a new technological religion," Environmental Values, , vol. 33(1), pages 42-57, February.
    4. Adrián Almazán, 2024. "A socio-historical ontology of technics: Beyond technology," Environmental Values, , vol. 33(1), pages 12-27, February.
    5. Susan Paulson, 2024. "World-making technology entangled with coloniality, race and gender: Ecomodernist and degrowth perspectives," Environmental Values, , vol. 33(1), pages 71-89, February.

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