The idea that science and technology are important in addressing the issue of environmental damage

caused by increasing consumption is a subject that is widely discussed and thought about. This essay
carefully analyzes this statement by comparing it with viewpoints on science and technology in other
texts. It also explores how effective science and technology are likely to be in dealing with this
complicated problem.

The report "People and the Planet" by the Royal Society (2012) looks at how consumption, population
changes, and the environment are connected. The report says that scientists should do more research,
but it doesn't specifically talk about how science and technology can help fix environmental problems.
Instead, the text focuses on comprehending the complex relationships that form the basis of the issue.
This means that science and technology can help solve the problem, but they are not the only things that
can help.

Is the concept of a Wellbeing Economy an effective way to make Post-Growth Policies more widely
accepted? In their study, Fioramonti et al. (2022) explore the idea of an economic system that focuses on
wellbeing instead of the traditional growth model. The text recognizes that science and technology can
help measure wellbeing and environmental impact. However, its main point is to support a bigger
change in economic and social ways of thinking. The writers say that science and technology are
important, but they need to work together with holistic changes in economic structures to effectively
solve the problem. This supports the idea that solving environmental problems requires a
comprehensive approach, not just relying on technology alone.

In the article "Radical Dematerialization and Degrowth" by Kallis (2017), the focus is on exploring the
ideas of dematerialization and degrowth as possible approaches. Although science and technology aren't
the main focus, the text suggests that relying solely on technical innovation might not be enough to
achieve sustainable results. Kallis says we need to change how society works, how we make money, and
how we live. They think we should include science and technology in these changes to find good
solutions.
Looking at all these texts together, it's clear that people recognize the importance of science and
technology, but their impact on solving environmental problems is not straightforward. Science and
technology can help us understand problems, create new solutions, and track our progress. New
technology like renewable energy, efficient production methods, and monitoring the environment have
helped reduce harm to the environment.

But, how well science and technology work depends on a few things. It's really important to combine
new technology with how people behave. While technology can help, changing how we consume and
behave is also important to tackle the main reasons for harmful damage to the environment. Next,
dealing with this problem is complicated and needs different approaches like changing policies, changing
how society thinks, and making changes to the economy. Relying only on technological solutions might
ignore bigger problems in the system.

Additionally, ethical factors become relevant. Although technology can provide answers, it can also cause
unintended negative outcomes. Chasing after green technologies could accidentally result in taking
resources from areas that are important for the environment. Lastly, science and technology work better
when they have strong rules and everyone works together. To make sustainable practices more
widespread, it is important to have enough rules, rewards, and cooperation between countries.

In summary, science and technology are important for dealing with environmental problems. But they
can only work well if people change their behavior, policies are adjusted, and countries work together.
Dealing with environmental problems needs a complete and all-encompassing method that understands
the limits of technology solutions and the importance of making big changes to systems. Science and
technology are important tools, but they work best when used together with changes in society that
promote sustainable consumption and prioritize the environment.