We need new technology to fight climate change and that will

Hear the words of Maxime Bernier: “We need new technology to fight climate change and that will come from the private sector.” These are not idle remarks, but a call to awaken to the urgency of our age. The earth trembles beneath the weight of human neglect, the seas rise, the skies burn, and the forests groan. To face such a trial, the tools of yesterday are no longer enough. Only through new technology, forged with courage and ingenuity, can humanity hope to turn the tide. Yet, Bernier reminds us that these solutions shall not descend from the heavens, nor be given freely by governments alone—they must be born in the forges of the private sector, where invention is sharpened by competition and vision.

The ancients too faced battles that seemed insurmountable. When the Greeks faced the might of Persia, they did not rely on brute strength alone, but on invention—the trireme, the swift and cunning ship that turned the tide at Salamis. So too must we look to innovation as our shield and spear against the storms of climate change. It is not enough to lament the devastation; we must create new engines of survival—clean energy, sustainable practices, and resilient technologies—that will guard the generations yet to come.

Yet Bernier’s words also remind us of the vital role of the private sector. For while governments may guide and set boundaries, it is often in the marketplace of ideas that the spark of change catches fire. The Wright brothers were not kings or ministers, but private inventors who conquered the skies. Steve Jobs and countless other visionaries reshaped the way humans communicate, not from thrones, but from workshops and garages. So too will the innovators of our day craft the weapons needed for the greatest battle of our time: the defense of the planet itself.

We must remember, however, that technology alone is not salvation. It is a tool, and like all tools, it may be wielded for healing or for harm. The same fire that warms the hearth may also consume the home. Therefore, while the private sector may create, society must guide, ensuring that the fruits of innovation serve the whole of humanity, not merely the profits of the few. Just as Prometheus brought fire to mortals, so too must the innovators of today bring light to a darkening world—but with wisdom, lest the fire run wild.

History offers us hope. In the days when the ozone layer thinned and humanity faced peril from above, it was not despair that won the day, but coordinated action, coupled with technological innovation. Scientists, companies, and nations worked together to eliminate the deadly CFCs, and the wound in the sky began to heal. This stands as proof that when human ingenuity unites with responsibility, no challenge, not even one as vast as climate change, is beyond our reach.

The lesson for us is clear: do not wait idly for salvation from afar. Support the innovators, encourage the dreamers, and demand that the private sector harness its immense power for the preservation of the earth. Let every citizen remember that their choices—what they support, what they invest in, what they consume—shape the course of invention. The power of innovation is mighty, but it must be fed by the will of the people.

Practical wisdom follows. Seek out the tools of sustainability in your daily life—renewable energy, efficient technologies, practices that honor the earth. Support leaders and companies who pursue solutions, not excuses. And above all, teach the young that innovation is not mere play, but a sacred duty: to create not only for profit, but for the survival and flourishing of humankind.

Thus, let Bernier’s words stand as a clarion call: that new technology is the spear we must raise against the encroaching storm of climate change, and that the forge of this spear lies in the hands of the private sector. Yet it is for all of us to decide how it is wielded, and for what purpose. For the fate of the earth rests not in invention alone, but in how humanity chooses to use its own brilliance.