đWelcome to Anticlimatic - an experience where you say âBye!â to jargons & doom and âHi!â to analogies & memes to understand climate change better.
Explain like Iâm a memerÂ
(summary in a meme)
âThere are decades when nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happenâ - Vladimir Lenin
The latter part of the above statement is like a picture in motion as human behaviours are changing in time lapse mode. Before 2020, taking a work-from- home day at office was frowned upon, almost treated as equivalent to a day off (this could be a very Asian experience) but in less than a year, it became the way of life for many. WFH lovers detest the idea of a physical office space now. Folks who happily camp outside Apple stores to spend a fortune on the newest launch, go bonkers if groceries donât reach their doorstep in 15 mins! I often wonder about this âprogressâ at the cost of our patience but that is a question worth exploring some other time.
Starting from the Internet, the rapid advancement of technology has blurred boundaries, be it geographical or work-life. While the pandemic was a forced beta test for mass remote work, it worked out as the harbinger of a new sense of freedom for a significant minority. This minority is made up of privileged knowledge workers who, thanks to remote/ hybrid work policies, have the choice to remain unshackled to the idea of a permanent physical space. Their skills are what make them significant to the economy. During the early months of COVID, Dror Poleg had predicted that with the ability to truly work from anywhere, economics of abundance would replace the economics of scarcity for this significant minority. In his words,Â
People's choice of location will likely become as specialized as their choice of other abundant goods such as songs or YouTube videos. In other words, population and economic activity will spread across a long tail of different locations.
⌠whole new towns and villages will be established.
Fast forward three years, this prediction is actually playing out. In my own circles, I have self-certified Global Digital Nomads and friends relocating closer to nature in the hills (Himalayas) or closer to beaches (Goa) since they no longer need to live close to an âofficeâ. While the general population travels online to escape the realities of their shackled life, for the emerging minority in discussion, as it becomes easier to work online, it becomes harder to socialize online.
For people who can live anywhere, where will they go?
As place of work no longer remains a limiting factor and quality of life takes precedence, âwhereâ will translate into an expression of self. Where one chooses to live will be an indicator of their pace of life, landscapes they like and people theyâd like to be among. Their location will be an executive summary of who they are or want to become. A status symbol of its own accord.
With Canadian wildfires wreaking havoc in the NYC air, European heat waves causing droughts in Italy and Spain (wine and olives at risk1!!) and many other future-altering acts of god, this choice is set to emerge as a massive privilege. Unlike the majority population which stands a chance only at forced adaptation to climate change (either by retrofitting the built environment or mass migration induced by survival risk), folks with access to this choice will migrate to climate resilient locations at the slightest discomfort. A huge opportunity for countries and cities to attract talent.Â
How can countries and cities capitalize this emerging choice?
Historically, locations have attracted people on some of these functional aspects - lower taxes, better education, walkable streets, low crime rate, intellectual diversity, high salaries and proximity to natural elements. In a bid to attract talent from across the world, countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia have eased their visa restrictions and have also introduced special visas lucrative to certain professionals and entrepreneurs. Cities across the USA are paying people up to $15,000 to move in.
Futuristically, countries and cities stand a renewed chance at marketing themselves to top talent in a different way. By promising a better quality of life away from the worries of a changing climate. Ofcourse, climate change knows no geographical boundaries and to pull off something like this is easier said than done, yet it is a great shot at getting oneâs house in order. A city powered only by renewable energy where data centers imitate forests, livelihoods thrive on finite resources and no one creates wasteâŚmy imaginative powers are limited, but you get the drift.
The closest example (that I know of) in this endeavour is NEOM in Saudi Arabia. It is being marketed as a visionary concept at the intersection of modern living, unique design and sustainability. It is said to be a place which will function on 100% renewable energy and 95% of its area will be a natural reserve. THE LINE region of NEOM is projected to be a 170 km straight line city with no cars, all daily essentials accessible within a 5 min walk such that health and wellbeing are prioritized over transportation and infrastructure, unlike traditional cities. It is all heavy marketing at this point and we wouldnât know until it gets real. Plus, with Saudiâs not-so-clean reputation, one may take it with a pinch of salt.Â
Forget creating new futuristic cities, if the existing ones were to be bolstered with design changes and efficient hardware solutions for the desire of attracting great talent, what a win-win it would be!
How do you see this scenario panning out? Send in your thoughts in comments below.
PS: Iâm heading to Vietnam for a short break this week which means Anticlimatic will miss you next SundayđĽş(and you should miss it too!). If you know of any interesting climate events happening in Vietnam in the coming week, let me know :)
Sayesha, you've captured the essence of the changing dynamics of work and how it intertwines with our choices of residence in the face of climate change.
But for projects like NEOM, I do have some reservations. Often, these mega-projects, while marketed as sustainable utopias, tend to overlook ecological nuances. The sheer scale and ambition can sometimes lead to unintended consequences, potentially doing more harm to the environment than good.
That said, the broader point you make about cities retrofitting themselves to be more sustainable and attractive is spot on. It's not just about building new; it's about rejuvenating and reimagining the old in harmony with nature.
Have an amazing trip to Vietnam! Safe travels!
The latter half sounds remotely like the 15-minute city concept (https://www.15minutecity.com/) where the idea is to having everything in the city at a 15 minute walk/bike distance away from your home.