Artificial Intelligence in the Fight against Climate Change: A new report presented at COP26
- Two researchers from Mila, the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, have contributed to a major report offering specific recommendations on how AI can help mitigate climate challenges.
- David Rolnick, Mila core academic member and Assistant Professor at McGill University is one of the lead authors of the report.
- Mila researcher Sasha Luccioni also contributed to the report as one of the project authors, focusing on the responsible development, deployment, and governance of AI in the context of climate change.
Montreal, November 11 2021 – A new report produced by the Centre for AI & Climate and Climate Change AI for the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), outlines the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to power climate action and strategy. On November 8 2021, the report, Climate Change and AI: Recommendations for Government, was presented at COP26 in Glasgow, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. The report, co-authored by 15 leading AI researchers from around the world, calls for governments and policy makers to expedite AI-driven climate solutions.
David Rolnick, Canada CIFAR AI Chair and a Co-founder and Chair of Climate Change AI, is one of the report’s lead authors alongside Climate Change AI’s Priya Donti (Carnegie Mellon University, USA) and Lynn Kaack (Hertie School, Germany) and Centre for AI & Climate’s Peter Clutton-Brock (Radiance International, UK). Rolnick is widely recognized within the AI community for his work at the intersection of machine learning and sustainability, being named earlier this year in the Pioneer category of MIT Technology Review’s annual list of ‘Innovators Under 35’.
“There are many ways that AI can be a powerful tool in enabling and accelerating climate action, from monitoring carbon stock using satellite imagery, to optimizing heating and cooling in buildings, forecasting crop yield, and helping design next-generation batteries,” said Rolnick.
Project author Sasha Luccioni focused on the responsible development, deployment, and governance of AI in the context of climate change. She is one of the leading researchers behind the recently launched website, This Climate Does Not Exist, an interactive experience that allows people to see the potential impact of climate change on any address worldwide.
The report was commissioned by the GPAI which brings together experts across multiple sectors from 18 countries and the European Union to bridge the gap between AI theory and practice by supporting AI research and applications.
Report Summary
The authors offer 48 actionable recommendations for governments with a broad array of use cases highlighted throughout the report. To support AI applications in climate change mitigation and adaptation, the report calls for governments to:
- Improve data ecosystems, particularly in sectors critical to climate transition such as the energy sector.
- Increase support for research, innovation, and deployment through targeted funding, infrastructure, and improved market designs.
- Make climate change a central consideration in AI strategies to shape the responsible development of AI.
- Support greater international collaboration and capacity building to facilitate the development and governance of AI-for-climate solutions.
Click here to view the official press release from CAIC and CCAI.
The report is available here: Climate Change and AI: Recommendations for Government.
See page three of the report for a complete list of authors and their affiliations.
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