Data infrastructure contributes significantly to climate change, but could also provide the solutions we need to combat this crisis.
Is AI harmful to the climate?
Climate change poses a significant threat to the global economy. The technology industry is responsible for carbon emissions, deforestation, pollution, and resource depletion. At the same time, it has the potential to significantly change this trend and mitigate the damage to our planet.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly proving to be an effective tool for tackling challenges that once seemed insurmountable. Instead of exacerbating climate change, AI is showing that it can help. By effectively using data, we could avoid some of the most serious consequences predicted by current environmental models.
Combating climate change with AI
According to Capgemini, nearly half of all companies in highly impacted industries such as automotive, energy, and manufacturing are using AI in their climate-related initiatives and are already achieving tangible results. Greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by approximately 13 percent since 2017, while energy efficiency has increased by nearly 11 percent. At the same time, solid waste production has been reduced by 11.7 percent. As these initiatives become increasingly successful, Capgemini expects companies worldwide to achieve nearly half of their economic emissions intensity (EEI) targets under the Paris Agreement.
AI applications are emerging in various business areas, particularly in energy consumption and optimization. Improved insights into product manufacturing can help identify defects in both products and production lines. Defects can be corrected without shutting down the production process, thus saving energy.
AI developments for climate change
AI is also driving the development of innovative tools and processes that prioritize energy efficiency and environmental awareness. Management consultant Bernard Marr highlights that AI is currently involved in the creation of new green energy solutions, including a series of hydroelectric power plants planned for the Amazon Basin. Researchers at Cornell University evaluated several development models using AI engines and discovered one that optimizes greenhouse gas emissions—a result that likely would not have been achieved using previous analytical methods.
Additionally, AI is developing eco-friendly materials, improved transportation systems, and advanced battery technologies, all of which contribute to creating a more sustainable economy. While AI requires significant computing resources that consume energy, it simultaneously works to minimize its environmental impact to both reduce operating costs and keep our planet livable.
Can AI help combat climate change?
Historically, economic growth has often been accompanied by environmental degradation. Even during the agricultural era, intensive farming led to habitat loss and soil erosion, and this trend continued through the Industrial Revolution and into the modern era of communication. However, some researchers are optimistic that AI can help reverse this pattern and decouple economic growth from ecological damage.
A report by EIT Climate-KIC, a European collaborative organization, suggests that this decoupling can significantly impact two crucial areas: carbon emissions and resource consumption.
With regard to CO2 emissions, AI is already being used in power grids and energy generation infrastructure to better match supply and demand. By accurately predicting energy flows, AI helps avoid unnecessary consumption of fossil fuels, both in power plants and in the supply chain.
Regarding resources, AI identifies previously undetected practices that lead to water, soil, and resource waste. By optimizing agricultural production and minimizing food waste, farmers can operate more profitably while providing better food for the population and counteracting environmental pollution.
With these and other initiatives, UNESCO expects that global carbon emissions could fall by 10 to 20 percent by 2030. If all goes well, this should help limit the increase in the global average temperature below the pre-industrial level of 2 degrees Celsius, possibly even to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Is AI good for the climate?
Combating climate change is a complex challenge. Global ecology is an extremely complex system influenced by countless factors, impacting both macro- and microscale changes in weather patterns, land erosion, ocean currents, and other systems. AI specializes in processing large amounts of data and quickly finding patterns and insights that pose challenges even for experienced scientists.
