Climate change has been a popular topic for the past few decades. Well, this problem has taken on a rapid pace and is now becoming a very crucial matter of concern. There has been a global effort to keep global warming under control and below 1.5°C. However, as per the current scenario, if there is no immediate action taken, sadly, the number is expected to grow exponentially to 3.5 °C, which will be extremely catastrophic. Global warming is responsible for the increase in floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other major calamities taking place in the world. From what we know now, these disasters are likely to get worse and happen more often. One more aspect we need to look at is inflation, which is also a major concern because of global warming. Crops, fossil fuels, and many other energy resources are becoming extremely expensive because of the sole reason for the disruption in the economic imbalance taking place as a result of extreme weather conditions. The price has shot up massively all over the globe and climate change is a major reason behind this.
The advent of artificial intelligence has opened up new possibilities for finding new sustainable solutions for this ecological emergency. The facts in the BCG Climate AI Survey Report 2022 show that artificial intelligence can control climate change. More than 87% of the private and public sectors agree on the power of AI and its ability to combat climate change. Developers from across the globe are working on creating a dynamic and efficient artificial intelligence model that will be dedicated to climate mitigation. The models will be capable of measuring emissions and also curbing them. However, as of the current scenario, the development of this domain has not been accelerated to its full potential. There is a gap between current technology and the emerging problems of climate change. Hence, the bridge has to be filled in a manner that focuses on taking action toward developing a responsible AI and getting better insights.
Let us have a look at some of the ways that artificial intelligence will be able to tackle climate change:
Implementation and Resistance: The sea level is rising at an alarming rate. However, AI can be put to effective use and assist in forecasting upcoming hazards as well as long-term cautions. If the applications are successfully and effectively developed, they will be able to suggest ways to control vulnerability and damage, as well as build the much-needed improved and advanced infrastructure that is not only sustainable but also able to deal with the overall effects of climate change and natural disasters.
Mitigation: It is believed that if AI is effectively developed, it can be used to significantly reduce emissions and carbon footprints. The greenhouse effect is also a huge matter of concern because it increases global warming. Artificial intelligence can also curb macro and micro levels of the greenhouse effect. If it is built right, it can also get rid of the current situation with emissions in the air. In any organization, artificial intelligence can also reduce the carbon footprint by 5% to 10%.
Artificial intelligence is well accepted in these modern and alarming times, and almost 43 percent of organizations are considering implementing artificial intelligence as an effort towards fighting climate change. The number is even higher in the industrial goods companies, ranging to over 50%, and in the consumer companies, to over 30%.
However, while we are optimistic about tackling climate change with the assistance of artificial intelligence, we must also consider the barriers that may come our way. The problem with current AI solutions is that they are hard to scale up and hard to use for anyone. We also must understand that even though companies are showing interest in implementing artificial intelligence, literacy, and awareness are lacking in most parts of the world. Hence, there is still less turnout in matters of artificial intelligence. The wave of awareness towards climate change has started on a dynamic scale, but still, many companies are not taking the necessary action or, rather, have no interest in actively participating in battling climate change. As a matter of fact, there are more than 78% of cities have low exposure to artificial intelligence. More than 77% face difficulty in availing of a sustainable solution through AI. Nonetheless, a staggering 67% of organizations lack organizational confidence in AI and data analytics.
Well, we all must agree on the fact that the situation of climate change and global warming is worsening each day. With the development of AI, there is a good chance that this serious problem can be solved. We now must take the necessary steps to gain the support needed to scale up artificial intelligence and make the best use of this advanced technology. Accessibility to resources and capital investments is a fundamental need in order to develop efficient and capable applications of artificial intelligence. A large amount of financial funding is required to assist academic scholars and provide them with the much-needed support and available resources to deploy their knowledge in a more practical approach. On a larger scale, there has to be an effective approach towards expanding the capacity, and there should be more emphasis on imparting skills and educating as well as increasing the needed awareness on climate change and artificial intelligence. On top of that, people need to have more faith and trust in this technology, as well as in its ability to help with climate change and its possible effects.
At last, we need to understand that artificial intelligence alone can not solve this emergency of climate change, and we need to come together to take a step forward toward tackling this situation as a united population. We need to put more emphasis on increasing the availability of resources and educating the youth as well and as a result, making the world heal and become better and healthier.
Author- Toshank Bhardwaj, AI Content Creator
