Noureen Akhtar

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AI and Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract: Global warming presents an alarming burning issue


affecting the climate through heat buildup, frequent natural
occurrences, and the gradual rise of the ocean’s water levels. Climate
change scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) have predicted drastic impacts when the emission of greenhouse
gases is not reduced. Global warming is a result of activities such as
fossil fuel combustion and deforestation by the human beings hence
worsening environmental and societal effects. By attempting to limit
global warming the Paris Agreement requires drastic social changes
which are unparalleled. Climate Change presents innovation through
Advanced AI in climate models, efficient energy management and
utilization of machine learning, deep learning and data analytics in
disaster risks, agriculture and distribution. AI also refines climate
forecast and tracks climatic shifts, and optimizes usage of power that
results in significant cuts in greenhouse gases and the adaptation to
climate. There is a set of issues that must be solved before AI
deployment in climate action: data privacy, algorithmic and
environmental bias. AI requires strategic integration into the national
policies, interdisciplinary approaches, and building capacities for
achieving the optimum result. It is a must to fund the development of
AI technologies through research & development, collaboration
between the public and private sectors, and global cooperation. Ethics
for AI implementation, fairness, and evaluation of effects are
significant for climate change solutions’ sustainability. To this end, this
paper aims at reviewing the literature on the application of AI in
managing climate change and identify opportunities, risks, and ethical
issues. This research underlines a few strategic approaches and
recommendations regarding the AI application in achieving climate
resilience and sustainability, thus creating a basis for a safe and
prosperous future.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Climate Change, climate modeling,


environmental sustainability.

Noureen Akhtar - Ph.D. Scholar, at School of Politics and


International Relations (SPIR), Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad,
Policy/Research Consultant and Editor at STratheia, IPRI

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

1. Introduction

The urgency to address climate change has never been more


critical. This scenario makes it a time of even greater
seriousness to address the problem of climate change.
Regarding the climate change effects, temperatures in the whole
world are increasing, and the frequency and intensity of
extreme life events, and global sea level continues to rise. The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stress on the
fact that the global community may be on the path to warming
of more than 1°C that too an average global increase in
temperature of 5°C with associated atrocious and even
irreversible impacts. Climate change has been caused mainly by
activities which are as a result of man and these include burning
of fossil energy, tree felling and industries processes that emit
greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. This has resulted in global
warming and the average temperatures of the surface rising by
about 1°C. Each one would be incrementally close to 2°C rising
from the late 19th century1. Consequences of this warming can
be seen through the rising trends in the intensity and
occurrence of storms including hurricanes, lack of rainfall,
heatwaves, and floods. Such events lead to the near-
instantaneous devastation and influence the affected
ecosystems, economics, and health of populations in the long
run. Such factors provide the rationale for new approaches to
the prevention of climate change and to adaptation to its
impact.

It highlights the significant impact of climate change on both


economic and social aspects. For examples, flooding destroys
the major crops and this will lead to shortage of food and high

1
What's the Difference between 1.5°C and 2°C of Global Warming?"
Reuters, November 7, 2021,
https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/whats-difference-between-
15c-2c-global-warming-2021-11-07/

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

food prices. Coastal areas with population and business are at


risk, where sea level begins to rise, it forces people to move and
lose businesses. The effects in relation to human health, such as
the risks of acute heat and other environmental impacts,
together with vector-borne diseases, that are more common to
the vulnerable communities would be intensified. Solving these
problems implies the use of the concepts of risk preparedness,
management, prevention, and adaptation. Today international
overlays, including the Paris Agreement, are the key for the
world in the struggle against climate change. The contemporary
international climate regime is the Paris Agreement adopted in
2015 to prevent global warming with a long-term target of
below 2°C, with the aspiration of limiting it to 1. 5°C. Over one
hundred and ninety countries have signaled their willingness to
cut down on their emissions of greenhouse gases and also
increase their coping capability. However, this aim presupposes
three key transformations in all sectors of society at short, never
seen before turnover rates in energy, transportation,
manufacture and land-use.

In this regard, it is essential to unveil those possibilities, and one


of the most promising directions is Artificial Intelligence,
abbreviated as AI. Machine learning, deep learning algorithms
and data analytics are part of AI that have the ability to work
through large data, outlining patterns and predict outcomes
with high efficiency. All these can be applied to advance climate
simulations and projections, design and operate energy efficient
and resilient systems, reduce risks from natural hazards, and
increase food production sustainably, among others. AI can help
to enhance the accuracy and the detail of the climate models
and adaptations predicting changes in climate in the future. For
instance, algorithms can be used to review satellite data in
regards to deforestation, ice situation, and moreover, severe
weather conditions. They can help the policymakers and
scientists to understand the picture of climate change and its

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

responses giving those strategies for its mitigation and


adaptation.

In the energy sector, AI can play the role of applying proper


mixes of renewable energy sources into the grid, efficient
energy use, and low emissions. Essentially, smart grids with the
help of artificial intelligence can control the demand and supply
for electricity, minimize wastage, and enhance the dependability
of power networks. So the AI solutions can likely be applied to
the problems of energy-efficient architecture, transportation,
and manufacturing, which all will result in cutting important
volumes of greenhouse gases. The use of AI is crucial in climate
adaptation within disaster risk reduction, water management,
and in agriculture. For example, to such applications as
prediction of crop yields and productivity, irrigation systems
optimization, soil management in cases of climate change, AI
can be of significant use for farmers and thus help increase the
food security. The possibility of automated systems to send early
warning to natural disasters to ensure people are ready for the
shock is a possibility. However, similar to any other application,
the use of AI for mitigating climate change also has its own
challenges and ethical issues. This is because there are concerns
that should not be ignored when it comes to the application of
AI including; data privacy, the algorithms used, and the effects
on the environment that artificial technologies produce. For the
positive impact of AI solutions to be achieved while the negative
impacts are contained, it is important that there is fairness in its
applications, that the processes are clear to users and that the
utilization of artificial intelligence is sustainable.

2. Thesis Statement:

AI has a lot to offer to climate action if the best practices are


promoted and enforced throughout the process, but there is a
need to advance strategic and systematic approach which
focuses on the research, collaboration, ethics, and equity.

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Therefore, by embracing the laid down recommendations and


action points, stakeholders can enable the use of AI to enhance
fight against climate change.

3. AI Technologies for Climate Change Mitigation

Machine Learning (MI) facilitates introspection of extensive and


heterogeneous data from satellites, weather station and others
in order to detect and forecast climate data. Satellites deliver
real-time and extensive information in many geological
processes, weather conditions, and climate changes of Earth’s
surface, water temperatures, and even icy covering. AI
algorithms are capable of analyzing this data in real time and
independently recognize various patterns and changes and
reveal considerable climatic shifts, although this is not the
primary use of AI at this level. For example, machine learning
and deep learning are used in this case to assess satellite images
and identify, for example, deforestation, increasing urbanization,
and other changes in land use, which leads to the formation of
greenhouse gases. Such knowledge is valuable in the
formulation of policies and utilization of measures in emission
reduction and habitat protection. Also, such functions can
combine data from various sources such as ground sensors and
weather stations to offer a broader perspective of climate
behavior.

Traditional or classic climate models and scenarios make use of


differential equations that simulate the relations between the
Earth’s atmosphere, water, land, and ice. As useful as these
models have been for progressing knowledge on climate
change, they still have downsides in regard to spatial scale and
computing resource use. AI can work to further advance climate
modeling because these simulations can be made more
accurate and detailed. AI solutions can have large repositories
containing historical data on weather, which can improve results
of prognosis on future climate conditions. Other benefits of

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

using machine learning models include; the ability to establish


correlations that are not easily discernible with the normal
modeling paradigms. For instance, AI makes it easier to predict
extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes, heatwaves, and
heavy rainfall by looking at the trends in the weather patterns
and current climate. AI can be used in some ways in mapping
the global climate simulation models to regional and local scales
in order to give a detailed and practical results for a given
region. It is especially true for the identification of the climate
change adaptation measures at the local levels and in
agricultural management, water resources, and urban planning
where climate details are crucial for decision-making.

Enabling More Effective Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies

In climate change adaptation and mitigation, AI technologies


contribute to helping people make precise decisions with up-to-
date information. In respect to adaptive measures, use of AI can
help in culturing early warning systems to warn communities
about natural disasters such as floods, storms and droughts.
Such systems can estimate the occurrence and severity of such
events and recommend ways of limiting the consequences and
improving the powers. As for the prevention, AI can use and
save energy in various sectors and lessen the emission levels.
For instance, AI can improve the effectiveness of renewable
energy sources by forecasting the energy generation from solar
and wind and how they can best be integrated with the power
network. The use of smart technologies based on artificial
intelligence can help to regulate the electricity consumption and
therefore, supply demands to eliminate the loss of energies and
the instability of the network.

Furthermore, in a way that can make a huge impact on


sustainability, AI can help to implement the best practices of
irrigation, fertilizers and pest control. AI based precision
agriculture practices can enhance productivity of crops and

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resources and secure food production in the context of changing


weather conditions. In the transportation sector, transport AI
can contribute toward the concept of smart transport with
virtues of less traffic, more fuel efficiency and positive impact
towards the use of electric cars. Such systems can in particular
learn traffic flows and subsequent routes and the functioning of
transport systems which can therefore be improved in order to
cause less emissions and therefore enhanced air quality.

Optimizing energy and resource use in the built environment

Smart buildings epitomize use of AI to optimize energy use and


in turn increase resource utilization. These buildings incorporate
AI to control and address a myriad of facilities like Heating,
Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), illumination, and
security. For instance, AI can prompt an evaluation of the
occupancy level, weather information and energy consumption
status so that it can control the HVAC systems in a way that
energy is used optimally. Amsterdam’s Edge building shows how
the integration of AI-based systems can result in serious energy
reduction. The building adapts the lighting and the
heating/cooling depending upon the occupancy and the
weather data which is about 70 percent less than the
conventional building.2 Intelligent structures that are built with
AI can optimize their performance using past data for energy
usage. With the help of machine learning, patterns in energy
usage begin to show in addition to recommendations regarding
alterations in how the building is run, which, in turn, causes
ongoing optimization of the building’s energy consumption. For
example, Google’s DeepMind AI managed to decrease the
energy consumption for cooling their data centers by 40% using

2
Xing, B., and J. Gao. "Artificial Intelligence for Smart
Manufacturing." In Big Data Analytics for Cyber-Physical System in
Smart City, edited by J. Gao, 159-183. Cham: Springer, 2018.

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the principles of machine learning, which shows possibilities for


saving energy in the built environment with the help of AI.

AI can also be used in maintaining low energy and water


consumption in other associated infrastructure systems. Due to
advanced features, smart grids, which is backed up by AI, can
help manage the distribution along with usage of energy of
large cities or even regions. The smart grids are capable of
forecasting the energy requirements, managing the supply and
demand in a better manner and incorporating the renewable
forms of energy like the solar and wind energy. 3 Through AI
control of energy and values, smart grids can minimize energy
losses and support the stability and effectiveness of the energy
supply system.

Other than energy, AI is useful in the conservation and


management of water in the urban and agricultural practices.
An example of smart irrigation is the use of AI to determine the
most appropriate time for irrigation from data of soil moisture,
weather prediction, and crop health. This in a way helps to apply
enough pressure to water usage so that one is cautious and
does not waste the valuable resource. A research conducted by
the International Water Management Institute showed how the
AI-based irrigation aided in cutting the water use by one-third
and getting better or similar crop yields.4 Not only this, AI can
support users in finding out the leaks and inefficiencies in water
distribution networks. It is found that by using sensors and
meters’ data analyzed by the AI algorithms, pattern of leakages
or other problems can easily be detected. Thus, an important
aspect of water conservation is achieved, in addition to saving

3
International Energy Agency. Digitalization and Energy. Paris:
International Energy Agency, 2019.
4
Aksay, S., and S. Farahani. "Water Resources Management Using
Artificial Intelligence." In Artificial Intelligence in Water
Management, edited by S. Farahani, 1-23. Cham: Springer, 2020.

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energy for water treatment and transport which is also a part of


resources.

Sustainable agriculture practices

The use of AI in agriculture brings the improvement of


sustainability of farming practices since there is an analysis of
data concerning the yield capacity, the state of the ground, and
climatic conditions. For example, the application of AI to
satellite images and sensors to analyze crop health and growth
in real-time. This allows farmers to monitor signs of diseases
and pests, low nutrients in the soil, and other signs of water
scarcity among others in advance. A case by the International
Food Policy Research Institute showed that the use of AI in
analysis of crop yield could increase accuracy by 20% as
compared to normal assessment.5 It can diagnose the condition
of the soil by relying on information that it gets from moisture
content, nutrient and pH sensing devices that are installed in the
soil. Such knowledge assists the farmers in ascertaining the
exact requirements of the soil and make suitable choice
regarding fertilization and irrigation. For instance, Watson
Decision Platform for Agriculture from IBM combines the data of
the weather forecast with the data of soil and crops and gives
farmers the useful recommendations, in order to increase
productivity and make it more sustainable.6

AI applied in various smart instruments like precision


agriculture, farmers can control the quantity and quality of
inputs including water, fertilizers, and pesticides. It enables the
provision of suggestions to farmers, depending on current data
and anticipated outcomes, so that required amounts of inputs
can be used in the right amounts and at the right time and

5
Hertel, T. W. "The Role of Big Data in Agricultural Sustainability."
International Food Policy Research Institute, 2018.
6
IBM. "Watson Decision Platform for Agriculture." IBM, 2020.
https://www.ibm.com/watson/agriculture.

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location. In turn, this not only optimizes the yields of one’s


harvest but also conserves resources and reduces any negative
effects on the environment.7 For instance, Climate Field View is
an AI-based system that gathers data from satellite imagery,
field sensors, and yield performance information. This enables
farmers to draw field specific maps and plan on the field
depending with the area of the field that they are in hence
improving on the use of resources. According to the studies,
adoption of the precision agriculture can lead to upto 20%
decline in water consumption and up to 15% decline in use of
fertilizers making farming in some extent more sustainable.

Further, sustainabilities in pest control can be attained through


the use of AI to forecast cases of pest invasions and suggest the
right actions. Likelihood of pest attacks in the coming season can
be predicted with climate data, health of the crops, historical
data of pest behaviors AI models can predict the chances of pest
attacks and preventive strategies. This cuts down on the extent
to which broad- spectrum pesticides are used and therefore has
a more diminished effect on the environment, and encourages
the advent of more species- diversity.8

Wildfire prevention and management

Wildfires are a threat to biomes, people and structures, and it is


widely known that the occurrence of fires and their severity has
risen with climate change. Another feature that can easily be
seen is that at Visible Flame Range (VFR), early detection of fires
is very important in order to avoid conversion of small fires to
large fires that are very difficult to control. Integration of AI in
sensors and systems can greatly improve the prospects of early
detection of fire outbreak. These are the ground cameras,

7
Rogers, E. "Precision Agriculture: How AI is Optimizing Resource
Use." Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 2019.
8
Park, Y. "AI in Pest Management: Reducing Pesticide Use with
Predictive Analytics." Agricultural Research, 2020.

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drones and satellites that constantly survey the environmental


conditions and, through the of help machine learning,
determine the precursors of fire like smoke, heat and gas. For
example, the Firebird system created by IBM applies artificial
intelligence to determine subsiding wildfires taking into
consideration satellite images, and weather conditions. The
benefit of using the system is that the authorities receive the
alert within minutes when patterns related to fire outbreaks
have been detected. A research by NOAA indicated that such AI
enabled systems could help shorten the detection of the fires by
as much as sixty percent and thus increase the likelihood of
early dousing.9

Prescribed burning refers to the controlled burning of fuels in


forested areas in order to minimize the risk of whereby large
fires take place. AI can determine the most suitable time and
location for these burns through the collection of and
comparison to a multitude of factors including but not limited to
the climatic conditions, types of vegetation, and fire history. This
helps to keep the burning controlled and not end up getting out
of hand, hence fulfilling the essence of a controlled burn.10 It
can also aid in planning as well as in implementing the fire
management plans. For example, the Wildfire Analyst tool
applies AI for analyzing how a fire behaves under given
conditions to assist fire managers in attending such a fire and
defining the most efficient strategies for its control. This is done
in order to know where the firefighters should go to avoid any
danger, and where people should be moved in case of a fire
breakout and which area should be attended on priority.

9
Finney, Mark A., et al. "A Method for Ensemble Wildland Fire
Simulation." Environmental Modelling & Software 26, no. 12 (2011):
1560-1573.
10
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
"Advances in Satellite Data and AI for Early Fire Detection." NOAA,
2020. https://www.noaa.gov.

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Because the data is real-time, for instance, wind speed and wind
direction, the recommendations from the AI models are
dynamic and possibly up-to-date.

Also, AI can contribute in matters concerning post-fire resilience


and replantation. Using satellite images and environmental data
that AI processes, it becomes possible to define the degree of
burn and areas that need new trees.11 This would help to give
targeted, proper and efficient recovery of ecosystems, should
they need to be recovered.

4. AI Technologies for disaster preparedness

Risk analysis, coupled with the development of predictive


models is significantly important in increasing community’s
preparedness against climate disasters. AI can greatly enhance
the efficiency of analytical models to predict the outcomes
timely by processing massive volumes of data including,
weather condition, geological factors and previous disaster
occurrences. These models can forecast the probability, when
and how strong natural events may occur, including hurricanes,
floods, and earthquakes enabling people to avoid or reduce
their negative consequences.

For example, IBM’s Watson combines the data of weather


conditions with artificial neural networks to forecast specific
conditions associated with tornadoes or hurricanes more
effectively. This feature makes it possible for governments and
organizations to embark on timely evacuation drill, resource
mobilization and enhance physical facilities in the danger zones.
According to the study conducted by the National Center for
Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the models that have integrated
the AI elements have upped the forecast accuracy of the

11
Park, Y. "AI in Post-Fire Recovery: Enhancing Reforestation
Efforts." Journal of Environmental Management, 2020.

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hurricanes path by 25% that lessens the possible impacts or


fatalities in cases of disaster.12

AI-driven decision support for emergency response

It has been realized that the use of AI in decision support


systems has taken on a new trend in emergency response by
making it easy to offer analysis on the event as it happens.
These systems can take data from sources like, social media, call
alarms, sensor networks and generate a map of the situation.
This enables the emergency responders to, within the shortest
time possible, decide on what action should be taken, which
ones deserves priority and how resources should be distributed.

For example, the Disaster Management Tool created by Google


predicts disasters by supplying satellite images and traffic and
social media information with the aid of an artificial neural
network. It gives updated information on the areas that have
been affected, possible dangers that exists in the area and
movement of the public for the emergency responders.13 For
instance, in the case of the California wildfires, this AI tool is
used to locate safe routes for evacuations as well as assist in
organizing rescue efforts.

AI can help with estimating the primary impact and areas that
require the most attention to rehabilitate after the disaster.
Machine learning and pattern recognition models, processing
aerial images and sensor feeds, can prioritize the structures that
require repair and the populations that require assistance. It
also makes the process of recovery specific and therefore

12
National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). "Improving
Hurricane Predictions with AI." NCAR News, 2019.
https://www.ncar.ucar.edu/ai-hurricane-predictions.
13
Google. "Google AI and Disaster Management Tool." Google AI
Blog, 2020. https://www.blog.google/technology/ai/ai-disaster-
management.

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resources are utilized as much as possible and recovery efforts


done are in proportion to the level of impact.14 Through
improved complex assessment and real time response systems,
AI technologies promote the weather-related adversity issues
and solutions. These technologies give important information
and suggestions that assist to reduce the effects of disasters,
enhance the management of emergencies, and facilitate
efficient disaster recovery.

Improving infrastructure and urban planning

Delivering live traffic predictions with the help of machine


learning algorithms arranges traffic distribution and eases traffic
jams. For example, a study15 showed how such algorithms would
help predict traffic conditions at a given time, and up to one
hour in advance, with corresponding measures handy for
controlling and managing the situation, especially emergency
situations. Proposing AI systems that automatically adapt the
traffic light signals prolongs the overall time during which they
are green and thus must shorten the waiting time for the riders.
In a study conducted by Liu16, the Adaptive Shortest-Cost
Pathfinding Algorithm with Continuous Time (ASCT) proved
capable of cutting average delay by as much as 20%.

Using AI in identifying and reporting accidents or any mishap on


the road and thereby notifying the right response team that can
help deal with the situation without further delay is the way
forward for the entities involved as well as for increasing safety

14
Smith, John, et al. "AI in Post-Disaster Recovery: Case Studies and
Applications." Journal of Disaster Research, 2019.
15
Zhang, Hao, et al. "Real-Time Traffic Prediction with Machine
Learning: A Case Study of a Major City." Journal of Transport
Geography 78 (2019): 1-11.
16
Liu, Xiaoyue, et al. "Adaptive Traffic Signal Control System Based
on Real-Time Traffic and Emission Data." Transportation Research
Part C: Emerging Technologies 84 (2017): 135-151.

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on the road. In addition, an AI-based system designed by Chen17


can identify the traffic accidents with the effective rate of 95
percent to triage traffic incidents, reducing the response time.
Integrating climate information into constructions brings in
efficiency in energy use, and make structures safe for the
climate in that region and effects of climate change as well. The
World Green Building Council states18 that there should be
climate-specific designs to optimize on energy use.

The integration of climate models into the design of green areas,


water supply systems and urban forests protects cities from heat
island impacts thus boosting their adaptation. The US
Environmental Protection Agency19, reveal how green
infrastructure impact urban resilience and quality of life.
Implementation of climate data in the execution of
transportation structures fosters environmental friendly
avenues of transport including the bicycles, charging stations,
and public transport. The paper, mindful of the International
Transport Forum’s20 assertion that any effective transport plan
that seeks to deliver low emission urban mobility must come
with the consideration of climate, argues for climate as an
important aspect of the transport planning process.

The use of machine learning models when it comes to matters


concerning natural disasters including floods, hurricanes and
earthquakes are vital in that they can enable provision of

17
Chen, Jing, et al. "AI-Based Traffic Incident Detection: Techniques
and Challenges." IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation
Systems 19, no. 8 (2018): 2535-2546.
18
World Green Building Council. Climate-Responsive Building
Design: Best Practices and Case Studies. 2020.
19
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Benefits of Green
Infrastructure for Urban Resilience. 2021.
20
International Transport Forum. Integrating Climate Data into
Transportation Planning: A Pathway to Sustainable Urban Mobility.
2021.

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appropriate warnings. Being able to predict important


parameters related to flood events such as lead-time for
evacuation,21 Decision and real-time environmental monitoring
AI systems can identify signs of future disasters and warn the
community. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction22
suggests that, through integrating AI-based early warning
systems, the danger of natural disasters has been minimized due
to the increased efficiency of the alerts’ delivery.

With the help of AI it is possible to combine various data, for


instance, meteorological and geophysical data or data from
social networks and other sources, to give the client multiple
early warnings. Smith23 also found that the use of the integrated
multiple data sources’ AI systems enhance and expedite disaster
warnings. Risk assessment for specific groups requires
employing AI; this way, the problem is analyzed in detail to
adapt the solution to the specific risks of a given community.
Another report by the Word Bank24 said that climate risk
assessment should be localized in order to create efficient
adaptation strategies.

Thus, AI can help create infrastructure projects that are suitable


for various climate-related challenges of certain territories. The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)25 for instance
suggest the adoption of artificial intelligence to enhance the

21
Liu, Yang, et al. "Machine Learning Approaches for Predicting
Flood Events: A Case Study of the 2018 Flood Season." Journal of
Hydrology 564 (2018): 849-860.
22
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. AI-Based Early
Warning Systems: Enhancing Disaster Preparedness. 2020.
23
Smith, John, et al. "Integrating Multi-Source Data for Improved
Disaster Warnings Using AI." Natural Hazards Review 20, no. 3
(2019): 1-12.
24
World Bank. Localized Risk Assessments and Climate Adaptation
Strategies. 2019.
25
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Infrastructure
Resilience and Climate Adaptation: The Role of AI. 2021.

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design for the infrastructure so as to act as shock absorbers in


the wake of a critical disaster. Nonetheless, utilizing AI to
support aid services including healthcare, education, and
financial help guarantees that the dominated individuals’ needs
are met. A study conducted by Brown26 established how gender,
and other disadvantaged groups, could immensely benefit from
personalized services from artificial intelligence.

5. Challenges and Limitations of AI in Addressing Climate


Change:

One of the primary challenges in addressing climate change with


AI is the scalability and accessibility of AI-based solutions. In
this regard, most AI solutions need a hefty computational power
that is a hurdle in underdeveloped areas. Computing and
communication facilities that are required for training highly
complex AI models and running these models are tend to be
consolidated in technologically developed countries. Thus,
Rolnick27 noted that scaling AI solution is expensive and requires
technical skills that are hard to come by especially in the
developing nations where the problem is most rife. This
dichotomy can result in a scenario where the impact of using AI
to mitigate against climate change is bootstrapped by similar
inequalities in the developed as opposed to the developing
world. Moreover, the digital divide, also known as the disparity
in the availability of one’s exposure to modern information and

26
Brown, Sarah, et al. "AI-Driven Personalized Support Services for
Vulnerable Communities." Social Science & Medicine 249 (2020):
112858.
27
Rolnick, David, Priya L. Donti, Lynn H. Kaack, Kelly Kochanski,
Alexandre Lacoste, Kris Sankaran, Andrew Slavin Ross, Nikola
Milojevic-Dupont, Natasha Jaques, Anna Waldman-Brown,
Alexandra Luccioni, Tegan Maharaj, Evan Sherwin, S. Sandeep
Chinchali, Regina Barzilay, and Yoshua Bengio. "Tackling Climate
Change with Machine Learning." arXiv preprint arXiv:1906.05433
(2019).

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communication technology, substantially prevents the


vulnerable communities from reaping the newfound
opportunities provided by AI climate solutions. In its report, the
International Telecommunication Union stated28 that almost
50% of the world’s population has limited or no access to the
internet, which is indispensable for the deployment and
functioning of AI solutions. This digital divide does not only
reduce the direct deployment of AI for the effort in climate
change mitigation but also undermine the inclusiveness and
fairness of climate actions by restricting underrepresented
communities from global initiatives.

Data availability and quality are also significant challenges for


the effective deployment of AI in climate change mitigation. AI
models depend on big data in a way that only large volumes of
high quality data can minimize the gap between the probable
prediction and the actual metrics. Still, climate data is
sometimes scanty, limited or unavailable particularly in regional
and developing countries. Behrens et al pointed out that issues
of getting accurate climate data from various areas and habitats
remains a major problem that data inconsistency may hamper
performance of AI.29 Also, other sources of data required to
support multidisciplinary climate modeling are diverse and their
integration may become a source of errors. Data harmonization
was described by Goodchild and Li as critical for AI since
differences in the formats, resolution, and collection of datasets
can pose risks to the models’ accuracy.30 In addition to data

28
International Telecommunication Union. Measuring Digital
Development: Facts and Figures. 2021.
29
Behrens, Paul, Andy L. Jones, Claire P. Giupponi, L. Jason West,
and Peter K. S. Chan. "Challenges in Climate Data and Information:
Perspectives from Multiple Disciplines." Climatic Change 163
(2020): 25-45.
30
Goodchild, Michael F., and Linna Li. "Data Quality and AI:
Integrating Data from Multiple Sources." International Journal of
Geographical Information Science 35, no. 6 (2021): 1118-1135.

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

quality, the availability, and usability of climate and


environmental data, especially data that may be considered
sensitive for national security or proprietary business may limit
the data’s accessibility and usage for developing trustworthy AI,
thereby reducing the effectiveness of applying robust AI into
addressing climate and environmental issues.

Ethical considerations another very significant source of


concern in the use of AI to address climate change is the matter
of with bias. Like any other machine learning system AI systems
absorb certain prejudices or biases from the training data that
they are assigned and end up with unfair decisions. Noble also
described how AI algorithms replicate existing social injustice if
its relation to data is incorrect, implying that biases in the input
data produce AI models that favour or disadvantage certain
groups.31 Climate change is one of the issues that directly affect
vulnerable groups and in addition, due to the discriminating
nature of AI, these groups can be even more affected. Thus,
transparency of Deep Learning decision-making is vital to regain
people’s trust and minimize the risk of abusing AI technologies.
The European Commission stressed that it is necessary to name
requirements and guidelines to regulate the most urgent ethical
dilemmas which appear because of the use of artificial
intelligence in climate change. These guidelines should contain
concepts of justice in the creation and use of AI systems in a way
that is fair, ethical, and honest.32 Also, there are challenges of
review and assessment of the AI systems to detect any bias and
to adhere to the best of social norms and ethical practices.

Regulatory and policy frameworks are crucial for the effective


and ethical deployment of AI in climate-related initiatives.
Appropriate institutional and policy environments need to be

31
Noble, Safiya Umoja. Algorithms of Oppression: How Search
Engines Reinforce Racism. New York: NYU Press, 2018.
32
European Commission. Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI. 2020.

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

established in order to ensure AI tools and services are


appropriately used and implemented in climate-related projects.
At the moment, there are no general rules for using artificial
intelligence, which can hinder the implementation of
innovations. Floridi33 remarked that constructing a globally
consistent framework must be established in order to effectively
and rightfully control the use of AI. This entails arriving at
policies on matters relating to AI including data protection,
models’ readability, and responsibility and coming up with a
mutual site that may enable international cooperation in the
development of these policies. The application of AI solutions as
directives to already established policies entail collaboration
from different sectors and levels of government.

Another issue addressed by the World Economic Forum was the


need for cooperation in establishing the AI development policy
to meet the climate objectives. This involves enlisting
governments, industries, academicians and civil society
organizations in triangular cooperation to enhance the
utilization of technologies infused with AI style in a manner that
optimizes positive impact on climate while de optimizing the
potential downsides, negatively affecting the climate.34 In
addition, regulation agencies should ensure they monitor and
synchronize with the advanced models of AI and possibly make
alterations to their guidelines in a bid to remain relevant and
effective when it comes to the implementation of AI in climate
measures.

33
Floridi, Luciano, Josh Cowls, Monica Beltrametti, Raja Chatila,
Peter A. Dignum, Virginia Dignum, Catriona Grothier, et al.
"AI4People—An Ethical Framework for a Good AI Society:
Opportunities, Risks, Principles, and Recommendations." Minds and
Machines 28, no. 4 (2018): 689-707.
34
World Economic Forum. Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for the
Earth. 2021.

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

6. Conclusion:

AI for climate change is a transformative opportunity to


combine one of the most concerning global issues with the
advanced technologies of the 21st century. Due to its attribute
to analyze large amounts of information, learn, and estimate
various climate changes as well as managing the use of available
resources, AI is one of the key tools in combating climate
change. Nevertheless, reaching the potential of AI in this field is
provided by integral and synchronized activities of multiple
subjects – governments, industries, universities, and local
communities.

There is a need to think and act in a synchronized manner when


it comes to applying AI in climate change. National and
subnational governments have the responsibility of integrating
AI in their climate change policies and strategies so as to
enhance usage of such technologies in climate actions. To
support the use of AI-driven solutions to collect data and inform
strategies of dealing with the issue, it is possible to develop
unique frameworks and foundations that would help to apply AI
successfully. It is in this regard that interdisciplinary solutions
should be implemented by engaging climate scientists, artificial
intelligence specialists, policy-makers, and socially responsible
industries to define the specific areas for their work and do it in
coordination. Training and education initiatives are also crucial,
by which individuals involved in AI processes are about efficient
use of AI like; politicians, administrators, entrepreneurs, civil
society activists, and others.

Promoting the exploration and development of artificial


intelligence for climate change solutions are also another
strand. More funding and incentives on Centers of Excellence in
Artificial Intelligence and climate change may fast tract the
actualization of better methodologies in prediction of climate
patterns, efficiency of resource utilization and gradual

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

diminishing of greenhouse emission. In this perspective it is


possible to underline the utility of public private partnerships
that can help in the process of transferring the knowledge
coming from research work into real applications. These
partnership arrangements mean that the academician,
industrialist, and government work hand in hand to make AI
innovations from the lab actualized. However, opening the
climate data and artificial intelligence tools can also help in
enhancing the collaborative work in a way that brings
progressive changes through the sharing of data, algorithm, and
model on climate change.

The key issues of engagement across sectors and knowledge


exchange are crucial to leverage the multi-faceted skills and
assets. National and international multi-stakeholder forums and
networks for learning promote annual meetings, seminars, and
conferences to address the utilization of AI in climate change
mitigation and transition. Intergovernmental cooperation is also
relevant as the climate change issue refers to the global level,
which requires collective actions. International cooperation can
help to improve the exchange of technological updates,
financing sources, and policies promoting AI climate projects. It
is crucial to involve people in AI technology development and
usage to preserve their cultural values since they know what
social environment they live in by focusing on climate change
problems and involving the communities working on the AI
tools.

Ethical and equitable use of AI are the keys to achieving the


desired goals in the field of combating climate change. Ethical
considerations can be in the form of guidelines and procedures
that are followed in the application of AI in climate solutions,
these include; Data privacy, bias in the algorithms used,
transparency, and accountability. It is also important that the
benefits are shared fairly concerning the AI technologies in

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

vulnerable groups. Making sure that such divides are bridged


and helping such communities to be able to work with these
technologies and be on the receiving end of AI climate solutions
is about being good to everyone. Thus, the monitoring and
evaluation of social, economic, and environmental implications
of AI applications in climate action enables the detection of
negative outcomes and modification of the processes as needed
so that the AI technologies may enhance climate objectives

Therefore, the utilization of AI in climate action is truly


promising; however, there are no failures typical of a learning
process that can be identified due to the lack of a holistic,
comprehensive, strategic, and united effort that focuses on
research, cooperation, ethical consideration, and equal
opportunity. That way stakeholders are assured of proper
adaptation and integration of AI in solving the climate change
problem as postulated in the following recommendations and
action points. Therefore, the road that needs to be taken ought
to be pursued across multiple fronts and to embrace innovation,
partnership, and values, where the deployment of AI is
concerned.

7. Recommendations and Future Directions

AI and climate change are among the critical frontiers in which


AI is most impacted, and this is why strategic coordination is
necessary. In the contemporary world, which faces the worst
effects of climate change, AI has come out as a useful tool for
increasing the climate change impacts and optimizing the
mitigation and adaptation strategies. Nevertheless, the
achievement of AI’s potential in this regard relates to deliberate
efforts in and across different sectors and tiers of governance.
The following part presents top priorities as well as directions
for future work on the proper use of AI’s capacity and positive
impacts for ethical and equal opportunities.

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

 Governments should develop AI integration national


and /or regional climate strategies – structures that
support the use of AI in climate action. The cruciality of
AI to the policies also indicates that policies must
promote the use of AI in data gathering, analysis, and
forecasting for better decision-making.

 The creation of inter-disciplinary issue specific task


groups including climate scientists, AI specialists, policy
makers, and industrialists is necessary. These task
forces can help to set priorities, integrate activities and
make sure that AI solutions tackle actual climate issues.

 AI literacy is crucial, which means that funding for


capacity enhancement initiatives that prepare various
actors for the use of AI should be provided. There are
awareness creation programs for government officials,
community heads, and technical experts on the use of
AI climate change measures.

 National and corporate authorities should enhance


investment in research and development of AI and
climate issues. Rewarding policies can help in the
emergence of various AI technologies that will enable
identification of climate patterns, efficient use of
resources, and the reduction of greenhouse gases.

 The collaboration between the academia, the business


world, and the government can help boost innovation.
Such collaborations may include the movement of
ideas and innovation from laboratory to practice so
that improvements conceived can be applied to make
new technological advancements in AI technologies.

 Making more climate data and AI tools available to the


public can also improve those cooperation. Building

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

archives of data sources, analytical tools, and


conceptual frameworks that can be used and extended
by the members of a community is the key to progress.

 Building the forums and the communities related to


the different fields is crucial. There is a need to
organize the system of daily, weekly, monthly, and
annually meetings, seminars, and sessions dedicated to
the comparison of strategies, experiences, and
outcomes of AI application to climate change
mitigation.

 Climate change is categorically an issue that cuts across


national boundaries hence the need for multi-nation
cooperation. International cooperation can help
improve the exchange of new technologies and funds
as well as structures of policies in the field of AI climate
change solutions.

 This approach is because it brings the people directly


involved in the development of AI solutions hence
making them close to their environment, culturally
acceptable by everybody and socially appropriate. They
also assist in discovering the climate issues pertinent to
communities and designing AI solutions in coordination
with the communities.

 Consistent with the argument above, appropriate and


effective ethical protocols constituting the overall
framework of climate must be formulated and
implemented. These frameworks should include
concerns as; data privacy, algorithm and data bias,
transparency, and accountability.

 It is critical to make AI technologies as inclusive as


possible and provide equal opportunities for

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

marginalized and vulnerable populations to become


beneficiaries of AI solutions. In this, it is critical to
bridge the digital divide and facilitate these
communities enroll and benefit from AI enabled
climate solutions.

 It might be useful to periodically review the SES of AI


applications in climate action interface in order to
discover unintended effects and adjust them
correspondingly. Ongoing supervision and appraisal
guarantee that these particular sophisticated tools
impact the climate objectives in a positive manner.

Action Matrix

The following action matrix summarizes the key


recommendations and actions required to develop a strategic,
coordinated approach to AI and climate change:

Recommendati Action Responsible Timeline


on Parties

Strategic,  Integrate Governmen Short to


Coordinated AI in ts, medium
Approach national/r policymaker term
egional s
climate
policies

 Establish Governmen Immediat


interdiscip ts, e
linary task academia,
forces industry

 Invest in Governmen Short


capacity- ts, NGOs term
building

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

programs

R&D of AI-  Increase Governmen Medium


Based Climate funding ts, private to long
Solutions and sector term
provide
incentives

 Foster Academia, Medium


public- industry, term
private government
partnershi
ps

 Promote Research Immediat


open institutions, e to
access to government medium
climate s term
data and
AI
resources

Cross-Sector  Establish NGOs, Short to


Collaboration multi- government medium
and stakeholde s, industry term
Knowledge- r
Sharing platforms

 Enhance Internationa Ongoing


internatio l bodies,
nal government
cooperatio s
n

 Engage Local Immediat


local government e to
communiti

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SACRED NATURE Vol.1 Autumn 2024 AI and Climate Change

es s, NGOs ongoing

Ethical and  Develop Policy Immediat


Equitable and makers, AI e to
Deployment of adhere to developers short
AI ethical term
framewor
ks

 Ensure Governmen Short to


equitable ts, NGOs medium
access to term
AI
technologi
es

 Regularly Research Ongoing


assess the institutions,
impact of policy
AI makers
applicatio
ns

Indeed, the application of AI in Climate Action is perhaps one of


the most promising areas of usage of AI for public good but all
these can only be made possible if there is proper strategic,
coordinated research, ethical standards, and equitable use of
the AI solutions that will be put in place. If stakeholders adhere
strictly to the set recommendations and actions, it will be
possible that AI makes a positive impact towards combating
climate change

51

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