I have a strong desire to get a PhD in environmental policy to try and get close to some form of person who can pass ideas to those who move the levers of power but have some idea that is pointless given how even the most mild assessments by people like the IPCC are ignored.

Issue is I feel like my STEM degree is equally useless because technology isn't what's holding us back even if I could get a job in a field that develops such technology. Unfortunately anything I see in renewables or power is out of reach with my experience and I'd spend just as much time making things worse in another industry racking up the requisite years of experience as I would getting said PhD

I logically understand a mass movement is our only solution but feel like I have to spend my 2000 hours or so a year working doing something related to climate or I'll lose my mind. Anyone else thought through this at all and have insights?