Artificial Intelligence ( AI) is being widely used in Climate Change Research

Dr. Seema Javed

Recently it was widely published that our planet earth will cross the global warming threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius within 10 to 15 years. Even with low emissions, we could see 2 C of warming. But a future with less warming remains within reach.

Artificial intelligence ( AI) analysis provided this evidence in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that global warming is on track to reach 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial averages in the early 2030s, regardless of how much greenhouse gas emissions rise or fall in the coming decade.

Artificial Intelligence ( AI) essentially refers to a technology that has the ability to mimic human intelligence by combing datasets for patterns and rules unspecified by the programmer and optimising the output.

Early theories on AI date back to the middle of the 20th century. However with the popularity & asceses of internet the concept became a reality in today’s world.

Naturally, with the to analyse colossal datasets, scientists studying climate change and it’s impacts, outcomes in terms of scenario’s are closely looking at the potential of AI .

The application of AI in the climate change come under three categories—data analysis, process optimisation and scenario modelling. The promise of AI to identify previously unknown trends and optimise is being utilised in climate change research and climate action, and is one of the most active areas of AI research and development.
Similar models are being used to track and forecast temperature trends, oceanic and atmospheric circulations, complex weather systems and societal responses such as migration.

ML models have enabled automated and continuous monitoring of satellite images to pick out and report visible phenomena such as wildfires, landslides and deforestation through pattern and image recognition. Not only can AI tools be used to anticipate extreme weather events that have become more likely due to the effects of climate change, recent developments have shown how AI can be used to anticipate and plan for knock-on effects of such events.