Can you imagine a time in the future when decarbonizing the economy and protecting the planet are such important priorities that half of all jobs are oriented toward climate issues? It’s hard for us to picture right now, but it’s the compelling vision of two startup founders, Anshuman Bapna and Kamal Kapadia.

Their company, Terra, offers education and community for the fast-growing climate workforce. Their insights into the explosion in climate work is valuable on a number of levels and I’m excited to bring them to you on this episode of Invested in Climate.

In today’s episode, we cover:

[3:08] How environmental concerns became a passion for Kamal and Anshuman
[5:16] The workforce problems the team at Terra is working to solve
[19:50] Transitioning individuals from other industries into the climate space
[31:12] How climate issues impact every role within every company
[36:26] The largest concerns Kamal has revolve around the issue of scale
[43:53] What you can do to take action for the sake of climate change

The problems to be solved in the climate workforce

The team at Terra are trying to solve a problem related to a coming transformation in the world’s economy and the way systems work—and this change is coming on a scale that is unprecedented in human history. Add to that the reality that these changes need to happen with a compressed time frame that has never been done before. One of the most important aspects of this transformation centers around people, with ⅓ to ½ of the world’s population being employed in climate solution areas.

Terra is a platform to provide learning, jobs, and community related to climate issues that support that essential, growing workforce. The reality of these coming changes is already evident in the diverse groups of people entering into their programs. If you’re interested in the roles and skills needed in the climate industry, this conversation will help you understand and perhaps, find your own place to get involved.

Solving an unexpected problem among those working on climate solutions

Working alongside those learning how to address climate-related challenges, Kamal has been surprised by something that the team didn’t anticipate: anxiety. It’s not uncommon for the students in their programs to develop high levels of personal anxiety as they educate themselves to work toward climate change. Terra’s programs were not originally designed to address the overwhelm and anxiety that could naturally develop in students as they learn about the crisis and the serious ramifications of the work they are preparing to do.

But they are adapting their programs to include help for students as the program evolves. Helping students feel more grounded and to develop strategies for dealing with the personal stress related to the crisis is one of the core features of their curriculum and community that is developing at this time.

Seeking to resolve the tension between climate urgency and scaling solutions

When asked about the things that keep her up at night, Kamal says that the issue of scale is her greatest concern. She believes that climate issues are a huge need that must be addressed quickly and though the movement is headed in the right direction, with the right ideas and people, the issue of scale is troubling.

It’s not an issue that can be resolved over the next twenty years—solutions need to be available and in place within the next three to five years. Her concern for her children and the needs of their future motivates her to keep at it. If you’re eager to know what you can do to help move climate solutions forward, listen, learn, and take action.

Connect with Anshuman Bapna and Kamal Kapadia

• Terra.do
• Anshuman on LinkedIn
• Kamal on LinkedIn
• Terra on LinkedIn
• Terra on Twitter
• Terra on Instagram
• Terra on Facebook

Connect With Jason Rissman

• On LinkedIn
• On Twitter

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