2. INTRODUCTION
AI is the development of more powerful and
faster computers; the availability of open
source software and data; and the increase in
abundant, cheap storage.
Microsoft believes that artificial intelligence,
often encompassing machine learning and
deep learning, is a “game changer” for
climate change and environmental issues.
3. Why this topic?
• As the planet continues to warm, climate change impacts are worsening.
In 2016, there were 772 weather and disaster events.
• Twenty percent of species currently face extinction, and that number
could rise to 50 percent by 2100.
• All countries keep their Paris climate pledges, by 2100, it’s likely that
average global temperatures will be 3˚C higher than in pre-industrial
times.
• We have a new tool to help us better manage the impacts of climate
change and protect the planet: artificial intelligence (AI)
4. Present Problems
• Land
• The Earth’s soil is under pressure from pollution, population growth, intensive farming,
and a host of other land usages. Its structure is not only compromised (one-third of the
Earth’s soil has already been degraded), but much of it is dangerously polluted
(pesticide poisoning results in three million hospitalizations and 250,000 deaths around
the world every year), according to the UN.
• Water
• Humans have polluted the oceans to dangerous levels with offshore drilling, cargo
transport, and trash—one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the oceans every
minute, amounting to eight million metric tons of plastic annually.
• Air
• Air pollution is already a dangerous global crisis — 91 percent of the world population
lives in places that fail to meet World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines.
And while it may be easy to think of the consequences of this as a distant problem, it’s
already killing seven million people globally each year.
5. How can we overcome
• Land
• AI has the power to completely transform agricultural practices to make them
safer for the Earth and people’s health. Machine learning combined with robotics
can provide automated data collection and decision-making to optimize farming
processes. These systems can interact directly with crops to detect and act on the
best times to plant, spray, and harvest, decreasing the need for the fertilizers and
pesticides polluting the soil. This will make farming not only more efficient, but it
will also lead to more organic, earth-friendly crops.
• For example, are providing new opportunities to observe and protect
endangered areas. More effective plant disease detection, poacher route
prediction, erosion monitoring, species identification, and animal migration
tracking are all a reality with AI
6. • Air
• One place to start is with transportation. AI makes autonomous cars
possible and helps them not only navigate, but also do so as efficiently
as possible. Autonomous vehicles alone can enact a 2 to 4 percent
reduction in oil consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions
annually over the next 10 years.
• And thanks to autonomous ride shares and dynamic bus routing that will
exist in the future, there will be fewer cars on the roads in general. AI-
enabled traffic lights will do their part too, adjusting to the flow of traffic
to minimize driving time.
7. • Water
• AI is already coming to the rescue: the first effort expected to effectively
start deconstructing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is essentially an
autonomous floating garbage truck powered by AI.
• Machine learning is making it possible to follow marine litter in real-
time, enabling responses that are quick, targeted, and more effective.
• The monitoring and predictive technology of machine learning can also
help researchers understand the human actions and subsequent
changing conditions that harm the oceans, such as coral bleaching, illegal
fishing, and industrial activity.
8. AI will also make renewable energy technology
like solar panels and wind turbines more
efficient and cost effective.
AI will also make renewable energy technology like solar panels and
wind turbines more efficient and cost effective, helping them to become
ubiquitous and lower society’s dependence on the fossil fuels polluting
the air — then hopefully eliminate them all together.
Combined with the smart grid, another technology that will be enabled
by AI, this will truly progress the way people receive and use electricity in
their homes, offices, and everywhere else.
Smart meters save energy by allowing for two-way communication
between the grid and anything that uses electricity, giving energy
providers a better understanding of usage and the ability to make real-
time adjustments for efficiency.
9. Conclusion
AI is shaping up to be one of society’s most helpful
tools. With it, we can start making significant
amends with our land, air, and water and clean it up
for a healthier planet.