Climate change emboldens techno-optimism, because what rational person would be opposed to innovation in times of such an urgent crisis? But technology is only a part of the puzzle, and can at best present a simple stopgap measure if we are unable to change our lifestyles to live more sustainably. For the techno-optimist, only innovation can help solve the problems and inevitable consequences of human advancement.īut here is where the ethics of innovation are called into question, especially where climate change solutions are concerned. All that remains to do is for governments to embrace progress and implement at scale. Implementing these technologies on a mass scale, however, takes time, and not everyone is assured a seat at the newly set table when innovation reshapes global economies and culture.īut in the techno-optimist view, new technologies are always tantalisingly close and their benefits will far outweigh the costs. This much, at least, is clear.īut how do we get to a point where better technology could improve all of our lives? Of course, the costs of renewables are falling fast, modern-day battery storage capacity is growing tremendously and artificial intelligence and machine learning will improve the efficiency of our systems and economies in ways that border on science fiction. We need solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, biofuels and plant-based meat substitutes. We need to come up with the technology that can replace fossil fuels with clean energy sources, that can make methods of food production more efficient and that can move us and our commodities around the world without burning petroleum or coal. But who are these techno-optimists? Are the implications of innovation always so black-and-white? And most importantly, will technology and techno-optimism alone be enough to save us?Ĭlimate change and environmental degradation, like all existential crises, present challenges that require innovation to resolve. They will claim that the impacts of technology on society are overwhelmingly positive, and that innovation allows mankind to make unthinkable economic, political, social and cultural progress. This is what techno-optimists will say to you. Reaching this utopia might take time, but we will get there as long as we keep innovating and our technologies keep improving. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.Imagine a future where clean energy is abundant and widely accessible, healthy food is available to anyone who needs it and anything can be manufactured at will with minimal environmental impact.
This article is provided for informational purposes only. Optimism raised $150 million in a March round led by Paradigm, with the project valued at $1.65 billion. Yet 17,000 of these addresses were later removed, dropping the expected total to 231,000 addresses. A snapshot of their addresses was taken on 25 March.Īccording to its initial announcement, 248,000 addresses were allotted 214 million OP tokens (5% of the total 4.29 billion supply).
The initial supply will be handed out through a retroactive airdrop to users including early Optimism adopters as well as active participants on Ethereum, such as signers of multi-signature wallets, DAO voters, and Gitcoin donors.
Last month, Optimism unveiled a new governance structure powered by its own token. Optimism has not yet made an official statement.Īs a rollup-based Layer 2 network, Optimism lets Ethereum applications achieve faster and cheaper transactions while retaining security from the main Ethereum blockchain. Several exchanges, including OKX, LBank, MEXC, and AAX, have released blog posts announcing plans to list the Optimism token at different times later today. Optimism's upcoming governance token OP will likely hit be launched today and be available for trading on centralized exchanges, according to multiple announcements by third parties.