Climate & Environment
Solutionism
Definition
Solutionism is the tendency to recast complex social, political and environmental problems as neatly defined technical puzzles with computable, optimisable solutions — while neglecting their structural causes, distributive stakes and unquantifiable dimensions. Popularised by Evgeny Morozov's critique of Silicon Valley ideology, the concept is applied in sustainability to warn against techno-fixes — apps, offsets, geoengineering, smart-city dashboards — that treat symptoms while leaving consumption patterns, power and inequality untouched.
References
This reference provides supporting context for how “Solutionism” is defined and used.
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Overview
How it is used
The concept structures critical analysis of climate tech hype, carbon offsetting, smart city programmes and ecomodernist policy proposals, and informs precaution in technology governance.
Why it matters
Solutionism names the sustainability debate's central temptation — that the crisis can be engineered away without changing who consumes, owns and decides.