Leveraging AI to combat climate change

As the world grapples with the climate change crisis, it’s clear that no single discipline or viewpoint can provide all the answers. A transdisciplinary approach, which brings together different perspectives and expertise, is essential for developing effective solutions. For more on the importance of this method, you can refer to my earlier post, When Crossing Boundaries is a Good Thing.

Building on this foundation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) significantly enhances transdisciplinary approaches, offering powerful tools to tackle climate change more effectively. AI can gather and analyse large amounts of data from various fields, finding patterns and connections that help us make better decisions about how to fight climate change.

AI also helps people work together by providing platforms for sharing data and collaborating on projects. These tools make collaborating smoothly easier for experts from different fields, leading to more integrated and practical solutions.

Predictive modelling is another area where AI shines. It improves the accuracy of climate forecasts, helping us understand potential future scenarios and their impacts. This allows communities and governments to plan better and prepare for different outcomes.

In decision-making, AI analyses complex information and offers clear, actionable insights. Policymakers can use these insights to make informed decisions based on solid data. This ensures that strategies are effective and address the root causes of climate issues.

AI also boosts engagement and understanding through advanced visualisation tools. These tools turn complex data into easy-to-understand maps, graphs, and simulations, making information accessible to everyone, including those without technical expertise.

Moreover, AI can save time in many important areas. By automating routine tasks like preparing funding proposals, publishing research, and designing behaviour change campaigns, AI allows experts to focus on strategic planning and innovative thinking. This efficiency speeds up project timelines and enhances the overall impact of climate initiatives.

Community members can also use AI for practical, grassroots-level climate action. AI-powered apps can help monitor local environmental conditions, such as air and water quality. These apps analyse sensor data and provide real-time updates, enabling prompt action to mitigate negative impacts.

AI platforms can gather and analyse data contributed by community members, such as sightings of wildlife or local climate impacts. This collective data is valuable for improving larger climate models and informing local planning efforts. (AwhiWorld is experimenting with this technology in our international bioSignals project (image right)

AI can benefit educational campaigns by personalising content for different audiences within a community. Tailored educational materials can enhance awareness and encourage sustainable practices among diverse groups. AI can also analyse and design materials based on surveys and create the surveys themselves.

Local farmers can optimise their agricultural practices using AI tools that provide insights into weather patterns, soil conditions, and crop management. This technology helps improve yield, reduce resource use, and adapt to changing climatic conditions.

AI can also help communities implement energy efficiency initiatives by analysing consumption patterns and suggesting optimisations, such as better insulation, efficient appliances, or integrating renewable energy solutions.

Regarding disaster preparedness, AI enhances community readiness for climate-related events like floods or wildfires by predicting occurrences and optimising response strategies. This proactive approach can save lives and minimise damage.

Despite AI’s potential benefits, several barriers make it challenging for grassroots and community groups to use this technology. High costs and the need for specialised skills can make AI tools inaccessible. Increasing funding and support, such as financial help and subsidies, can ease this burden, making AI more accessible to these groups.

Data accessibility and quality are also significant challenges. Limited resources and infrastructure can hinder data collection and management. Creating open-access data repositories and improving data-sharing systems can provide the necessary data for AI applications, ensuring high-quality information is available to all.

Ethical and privacy concerns also need to be addressed. Helping organisations develop ethical guidelines and privacy standards for using AI and educating individuals and groups on managing risks can build trust and encourage responsible use rather than outright avoidance. Often, you need to pay for many everyday AI programmes to put boundaries around the data you are contributing—potentially an issue for flax roots groups in Te Tai Tokerau.

Interoperability and integration issues also pose challenges. Ensuring new AI technologies work well with existing systems can be tricky. Investing in technical infrastructure, including internet connectivity and compatible hardware and software, is essential for the effective use of AI. However, it should be said that AI is rolling out into almost all technology going forward.

Finally, providing training programmes and workshops on AI and data science can equip community members with the necessary skills to maximise AI’s impact. By building technical expertise, communities can leverage AI tools more effectively, enhancing their capacity to address climate change.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the presence of AI in our lives, as it is being integrated into nearly every aspect of society. Rather than trying to avoid AI—which is becoming almost impossible—it’s more useful to understand the risks and build personal agency to navigate its use responsibly. Engaging with AI proactively can empower individuals and communities to harness its benefits while mitigating potential drawbacks and risks.

At AwhiWorld, we promote transdisciplinary approaches alongside AI to tackle complex issues like climate change. Our labs and programmes are designed to foster innovation, collaboration, and practical solutions, building skills and knowledge in these critical areas.

We offer coaching, mentoring, and workshops to develop these skills, empowering communities to leverage AI strategically, responsibly, and effectively. By integrating cutting-edge research and technology with community engagement, we aim to create a sustainable future.

Combining AI with transdisciplinary approaches offers a powerful strategy for tackling climate change. At AwhiWorld, we are committed to fostering innovation and collaboration through our initiatives, building a more resilient and sustainable world.

References and Resources

World Economic Forum: 9 ways AI is being deployed to fight climate change

UNFCCC: AI for Climate Action

BCG: How AI Can Speed-Up Climate Action

Google Sustainability: Accelerating Climate Action with AI

UN News: Explainer: How AI helps combat climate change

Main Image generated by author in Midjourney

Content researched and generated in collaboration with Open AI