Making the planet healthy again An investigation of technology as a tool for creating value for nature

Abstract

The environmental problems of today are visualised by climate change and biodiversity losses among other. Current strategies to halt the rampaging e ects of these environmental problems involves strategies to minimise negative impacts on nature. As the problems continue to be ampli ed, we cannot longer ignore the consequences that future generations will face, hence, we need to take action. What is missing is a conversation about how positive impacts on nature can be created, especially related to how this value can be created using technology. Technology is usually described in terms of value-creation directed towards society, but could also be described as value-creation directed towards nature. The aim of this thesis is thus to investigate this value-creation in the natural domain, and how technologies that create value for nature can be separated from other types of technologies. The method consisted of extensive literature studies and thorough discussions about this novel way of describing and classifying technology. The literature review con rmed our initial hypothesis; there is currently no literature that describes value-creation for nature by technology. Hence, there exists a need to develop a theoretical framework that classi ed technologies based on the direction of value-creation. This resulted in the development of the Triple R framework, including Regular, Restorative, and Regenerative technologies. Regular technologies create value that is directed towards society, restorative technologies create value that is directed towards nature, and regenerative technologies create value that is directed towards both society and nature. These categories can be qualitatively illustrated by existing technologies. In conclusion, technology is not the ultimate answer to environmental problems, but an important part of it. However, the most important contribution of this thesis is a new way of discussing the possible positive impacts on nature created by society. It is not enough to minimise the environmental impacts, but we must move one step further and go "from less bad to really good" and develop more technologies that can have positive impacts on nature in the long run.