CAN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) HELP TO CONQUER CLIMATE CHANGE? Tawanda Collins Muzamwese
Artificial Intelligence is one of the fastest growing technological breakthroughs in the world with the potential of assisting society to deal with perennial problems such as climate change. Soaring temperatures, extreme weather events and exponential rise in the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions continue to ravage the planet at an alarming rate without a clear solution in sight. Communities and countries alike have become victims of climate change. With the livelihoods of humanity already being threatened and people fighting for water in some parts of the world, it has become increasingly clear that climate change is an unequivocal reality. Several solutions have been sought without success and a time has come when questions are being asked at the prospects of Artificial Intelligence (AI) coming to the rescue of humanity. This is still a contentious issue with practical and ethical controversies, but those countries which have developed Artificial Intelligence solutions are better able to fight climate change. Dealing with climate change is no longer an issue to be approached using traditional conventional mitigation and adaptation methodologies. The rise of AI and machine learning can be an opportunity for fighting climate change. Several countries have already started deploying artificial intelligence in the fight against climate change. The mindboggling question is to what extent AI
can be deployed in all countries of the world. Robots can change the way we produce and consume and can range from operating production processes in a more resource efficient manner (water, energy, chemicals and raw materials). Scaling-up digitalisation is also a key step forward in the quest for climate mitigation and adaptation. Through digitalisation, it is now possible to monitor industrial processes remotely through Continuous Environmental Monitoring Systems (CEMS) which monitor atmospheric pollution from emission sources in real time. Governments can no longer afford to watch deteriorating environmental quality, when in actual fact, AI can be used to clean-up environmental systems Application # 1: Predictive Modelling The erratic rainfall patterns which are existing in the world due to climate change are very difficult to predict and manage for many governments across the world. The rise of AI allows predictive modelling of future climatic conditions. The AI can initiate predictive modelling based on algorithms fed into the systems using data from past events. Huge data sets on environmental parameters can be easily inputted into artificial intelligence systems resulting in predictive analysis. Human mind and intellectual capacity is limited in
handling large data sets and masses of technical information. Harnessing Artificial Intelligence will be the key to unlocking future opportunities. Predictive modelling can assist in setting up future scenarios and thought processes. It also ensures that society is better able to deal with situations that may arise in a particular sustainability domain such as climate change. Cyclones can be easily identified and early warning systems deployed with the aid of satellites, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing. Gone are the days when manual logging of daily weather statistics would wait for an individual to arrive at work. Predictive modelling and automated weather data recording is on the rise. Error prone systems are on their way out. In the context of Disaster Preparedness and Response, artificial intelligence will be one of the best alternatives to inform policy makers. Application # 2: The internet of Things The Internet of Things (IoT) has been successfully deployed in the energy efficiency sector and also monitoring renewable energy output. Energy efficiency of refrigeration systems and furnaces now deploys the internet of things. Industries with Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) find themselves better
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