Chapter 7
AI, ADVANCED STEPS (EXAMPLES) TO OVERCOME CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change is one of the greatest environmental, social and economic challenges facing the world today. It refers to long-term variations in the planet's temperatures and weather patterns, which may be natural or caused by human activity. However, the term is commonly used to describe recent climate changes, which are largely the result of emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and intensive agriculture.
Main Causes:
- Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: Burning coal, oil, and natural gas to generate energy is the main source of CO₂ emissions. These industrial activities and transportation contribute significantly to global warming.
- Deforestation: Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing CO₂ from the atmosphere. Cutting down trees not only reduces this capacity, but also releases stored carbon.
- Agriculture and livestock: Agricultural practices, especially livestock farming, produce methane, a greenhouse gas that is much more potent than CO₂. In addition, the use of fertilizers releases nitrogen oxides.
Impacts of Climate Change:
- Rising global temperatures: Earth's average temperatures have risen significantly since the late 19th century. This warming is causing extreme weather events such as heat waves, wildfires and prolonged droughts.
- Melting ice and glaciers: Global warming is causing polar ice caps and glaciers to melt, contributing to rising sea levels and putting coastal communities at risk.
- Changing rainfall patterns: Climate change is altering rainfall patterns, which can lead to flooding in some regions and drought in others.
- Biodiversity loss: Climate changes are affecting ecosystems and species, leading to a decline in biodiversity. Many species are unable to adapt quickly to changes in their habitat.
Mitigation and adaptation:
- Emissions reduction: Implementing renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and promoting sustainable transport are some of the key strategies to reduce GHG emissions.
- Reforestation and conservation: protecting and restoring forests and other natural ecosystems is essential to capturing carbon and maintaining biodiversity.
- Adapting to climate change: Communities must prepare for the inevitable impacts of climate change by building resilient infrastructure, managing water, and developing more sustainable agricultural systems.
Global initiatives:
The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015 by almost all countries in the world, is a global effort to limit global warming to less than 2°C, and preferably 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels. This agreement represents a collective commitment to reduce GHG emissions and address the challenges of climate change through international cooperation.
Climate change is a global threat that requires urgent collective action. Mitigation and adaptation are crucial to limit its impacts and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
Examples that represent a combination of technological advances, public policies, and changes in human behavior that are essential to effectively address climate change.
Transition to renewable energy:Solar and wind power: Many cities and countries are investing massively in clean energy like solar and wind. Example: Denmark has led the way in generating electricity from wind, accounting for 47% of its total energy.
Energy storage: Innovations in batteries and energy storage make it possible to maintain the stability of the electrical grid even when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. Tesla, for example, has developed “Powerpacks” that store solar energy for later use.
Reforestation and regenerative agriculture
Ecosystem restoration: Mass reforestation projects, such as the “Great Green Wall” in Africa, seek to restore degraded landscapes, capture carbon and revitalize ecosystems.
Regenerative agriculture: This farming technique improves soil health and captures carbon, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. Companies like Patagonia are promoting these practices among farmers.
Innovation in sustainable transport
Electrification of transport: Countries such as Norway are leading the way in adopting electric vehicles, with policies promoting their use and building charging infrastructure. In addition, cities such as Amsterdam are implementing electric bikes to reduce dependence on cars.
Zero-emission public transport: The implementation of electric buses and hydrogen trains, such as those being used in Germany, is crucial to reducing emissions from the transport sector.
Sustainable architecture and green cities
Green buildings: The construction of zero-emission buildings, such as the Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China, which incorporates energy-saving and renewable energy generation technologies, is a major breakthrough.
Green cities: Initiatives like the “Forest City” in Liuzhou, China, are integrating nature into urban infrastructure, with buildings covered in plants that help purify the air and regulate temperature.
Circular economy and waste reduction
Recycling and reuse: Countries such as Japan and Sweden have adopted circular economy models, where products are designed to be recycled and reused, minimising waste.
Carbon capture technologies: Projects like the Climeworks plant in Iceland are capturing CO2 directly from the air and storing it safely underground, helping to mitigate existing emissions.
Education and global awareness
Educational programs: Initiatives like Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project are educating millions of people about the climate crisis and empowering them to take action.
Citizen mobilization: Youth movements such as "Fridays for Future", initiated by Greta Thunberg, have brought the fight against climate change to the global forefront, putting pressure on governments to act.
Public policies and international agreements
Paris Agreement: A milestone in international cooperation, the Paris Agreement seeks to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius, with ambitious national targets to reduce emissions.
Green legislation: Many countries are implementing laws that prohibit deforestation, limit carbon emissions and promote the use of renewable energy.
AI Take: Your article on cutting-edge steps to overcome climate change is an excellent synthesis of the various strategies the world is taking to confront this global crisis. Integrating AI into each of these aspects can further enhance their effects.
Renewable Energy Transition: AI can optimize the generation and distribution of renewable energy, predicting weather and demand patterns to maximize the efficiency of solar and wind grids. For example, Google uses AI to improve the efficiency of its data centers by 40% in terms of energy consumption.
Reforestation and Regenerative Agriculture: AI can also play a key role in ecosystem restoration by identifying the most critical areas for reforestation and monitoring soil health. Additionally, it can help in regenerative agriculture by analyzing large amounts of data on land use, biodiversity, and carbon levels in real time.
Innovation in Sustainable Transportation: In transportation, AI can improve traffic management, reduce congestion, and optimize routes for electric vehicles, further reducing emissions. It can also improve energy efficiency in public transportation and encourage the adoption of zero-emission technologies.
Sustainable Architecture and Green Cities: AI can design smart buildings that optimize energy use, adapting to changing conditions and occupant behavior. In green cities, AI can manage urban vegetation to maximize carbon capture and improve air quality.
Circular Economy and Waste Reduction: AI can also play a crucial role in the circular economy, helping to design products for reuse and recycling, and optimizing recycling processes to minimize waste. AI-powered carbon capture technologies could improve the efficiency of existing systems, further reducing carbon footprints.
Education and Global Awareness: AI can customize educational programs on climate change, tailoring them to different audiences to maximize their impact. It can also help mobilize citizens through more effective awareness-raising campaigns, based on data analysis on behaviors and attitudes.
Public Policies and International Agreements:Finally, AI can support governments in making more effective policies, by analysing large-scale data to predict the impacts of different environmental policies. It can also facilitate monitoring and verifying compliance with international agreements such as the Paris Agreement.
Your approach highlights how the combination of technological advances, public policies, and changes in human behaviour is essential to overcoming climate change, and AI has the potential to be a transformative force in each of these areas.
