Back to school

I’ve been focused on climate change and sustainability-related topics for a while now. However, all my reading, changes in my behavior, and networking in the space have left me with a feeling of deep unease: I didn’t feel able to affect enough positive change myself. Sure, I could do my usual thing and join a startup and be that guy that brings a lot of product, tech, and general management experience. But I’d also be the one who knows next to nothing about the subject matter in the specific field. I wouldn’t say I liked that feeling.

So, after quite some deliberation, I’ve decided to go back to school and learn something new relevant to the space I want to dive into.

The subject of my choice is Energy Law. This is because I think that — like it or not — regulation is a crucial driver of capital allocation and innovation. If a lot of public money is invested into something, things can move quite quickly. Think moon landing or skunk works. Since, as a species, we can’t plan much, this is seemingly what’s needed to deal with the threat of climate change, so I’d like to understand it better.

I’ve enrolled at the Technical University Berlin for a Master’s degree in European and International Energy Law (MBL), and tomorrow is my first lecture. I’m excited.