This is a linkpost for https://effectivealtruism.nz/blog/nz-comparative-advantage
Living in New Zealand can sometimes feel like an obstacle to doing good effectively. We’re far from the EA hubs in the UK/US, and from opportunities for direct work on global health & development.
But are there any areas where we might have an advantage? Here are some possibilities that the community has been discussing recently:
- As a low-risk environment for AI training. Alethios argues that NZ’s legislative environment and geothermal resources could make us a good candidate for AI data/training centres.
- As a safe zone for global catastrophic risk. Many have noted that NZ’s position as an isolated island nation makes us more resilient to risks like nuclear winter and pandemics.
- As a leverage point for animal welfare. Animal Policy International chose to work in New Zealand because we have high(er) welfare standards that could be used to drive change elsewhere.
- As a good place for donating/earning to give. NZ is among the wealthiest nations in the world. While you won’t make top-dollar here compared to e.g. the US, on a global scale we’re still very well placed to donate.
- As a thought leader. NZ has a longstanding reputation as the “social laboratory of the world”, piloting policies like women’s suffrage and inflation targeting. Perhaps we could continue this in other areas?
It’s interesting to see that some of the challenges of living in NZ— like our geographic isolation— also create some of the potential opportunities.
Of course, this is just a preliminary list. If you have other thoughts or ideas, we’d love to hear from you! What do you think NZ should be focusing on? Or if you’re from elsewhere, what do you think your country’s comparative advantage is?
In the US, most funding for PhDs is external to the universities. In my experience, internal funding is more open to projects outside the mainstream.