An old business saying states that we can’t manage what we don’t measure. This rings truer than ever today as the world faces a 3 in one planetary crisis of climate change, loss of nature and biodiversity, pollution, and waste. More climate data is available than in the past century. But how that data is accessed, interpreted and what action needs to be taken becomes important in managing these crises. One technology playing a major role in providing insights and solutions for protecting the environment currently is Artificial Intelligence (AI).
AI and its emerging role in protecting the environment
“AI refers to systems or machines that perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, and can iteratively improve themselves over time, based on the information they collect,” says David Jensen, coordinator of the United Nations Environment Program’s (UNEP’s) Digital Transformation sub-programme. Jensen talks about several areas where AI can play a role in tackling environmental challenges, from designing more energy-efficient buildings to monitoring deforestation to optimizing renewable energy deployment.
AI solutions for protecting the environment
AI provides real-time environment analysis
UNEP launched an AI solution, the World Environment Situation Room (WESR), 2022. It is a digital platform that leverages AI’s capabilities to analyze complex, multifaceted datasets. Supported by a group of partners, WESR curates, aggregates and visualizes the best available earth observation and sensor data. This provides near real-time analysis and future predictions on multiple factors, including CO2 atmospheric concentration, changes in glacier mass and sea level rise. WESR developers are creating a user-friendly, demand-driven platform that leverages data for government offices, classrooms, Mayor’s offices, and boardrooms. There is a need for credible, trustworthy and independent data to make informed decisions and drive transparency.
Monitoring methane emissions
Another AI-based environmental solution is the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO), that uses AI to revolutionize the approach to monitoring and mitigating methane emissions. The platform operates as a global public database of empirically verified methane emissions. It leverages AI to strategically interconnect this data with action on science, transparency, and policy to inform data-driven decisions. IMEO’s technology allows the collection and integration of diverse methane emissions data streams to establish a global public record of empirically verified methane emissions at an unprecedented level of accuracy and granularity. Since reducing the energy sector’s methane emissions is one of the fastest, cheapest and most effective ways to limit the harmful effects of global warming, AI-based solutions play an important role in achieving these reductions.
Tracking air quality
Another environmental monitoring initiative that uses AI is in partnership with IQAir. The GEMS Air Pollution Monitoring platform is the largest global air quality information network. IQAir collects data from over 25,000 air quality monitoring stations in more than 140 countries and uses AI to offer insights on the impact of real-time air quality on populations and help inform health protection measures.
These platforms allow both the private and public sector to harness data and digital technologies to accelerate global environmental action. This can thus fundamentally disrupt business as usual. Ultimately, they can contribute to systemic change at an unprecedented speed and scale.
AI solutions help measure the environment footprints of products
Other areas where AI can make a difference are calculating the environmental and climate footprints of products. AI helps calculate the footprint of products across their full lifecycles and supply chains and enables businesses and consumers to make the most informed and effective decisions. This kind of data is useful for sustainable digital nudging on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon.com. Shopify or Alibaba.
Reducing ICT emissions
Data and AI are pillars of modern environmental monitoring. However, we must take into account the environmental cost of processing this data. The ICT sector produces about 3-4% of emissions and data centres use large volumes of water for cooling. Efforts are underway to reduce this footprint. The CODES Action Plan for a Sustainable Planet in the Digital Age – one of the spin-off initiatives from the UN Secretary General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation.
But e-waste is a major concern as only 17.4% is currently recycled and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.
Reducing plastic pollution in major water bodies
The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organization that uses AI to identify and track plastic pollution in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (a huge pile of plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean). The organization uses a fleet of autonomous boats to collect data on the location and size of plastic debris, helping to create a detailed map of ocean litter in remote locations. But AI can do more than just map out plastic pollution — it can also help develop new cleanup technologies.
As per the UN Global E-waste Monitor report, E-waste will grow to almost 75 million metric tonnes by the year 2030. A research also shows that to target this waste, consumers should reduce consumption, recycle electronic goods and repair those that can be fixed. Thus, when it comes to the environment, AI is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can help humans solve some of the biggest issues troubling the climate. But, it can also be a part of the problem. Moving forward, we need to continue utilizing this impressive tool in the right ways: reducing ocean pollution, supporting conservation efforts, and improving recycling processes.
