The recent 2021 IPCC report declared a code red for humanity,with 2019’s atmospheric CO2 concentrations higher than at any time in at least twomillion years. Our only chance of averting irreversible climate change isto reduceour carbon, methane and nitrous oxide emissions to net zero. And one way we canachieve this is by making our technologies more sustainable.
For instance, we can embed artificial intelligenceinto our buildings and let them reduce powerto lights, ventilation or liftsthat are not in use.
Zero-emissionelectric cars will also have AIs to assist our driving, makingthem safer and more efficient. Home energy storage solutions mean that power from solar panels can be stored, bringing ustowards adistributed power grid where all buildings contribute power as well as consumingit.
AIprovides us with ever more accuratemodels of the environment and can also mitigate the risks of climate change, bysimulating exactly where floods or storms may damage property. AI can enable smarter,moreefficient agriculture, and instant analysis of planetary data so we can detect illegal deforestation, water extraction, fishing and poaching. Machine learning may even have the potential toinvent newmaterials to create technology such as room temperature superconductors.
Put together, this tech could increase the chance of Earth’s survival.
Read more:
- If a virus killed half the world, would this prevent climate change?
- Do we really know what climate change will do to our planet?
- Can planting billions of trees help tackle climate change?
- Could climate change turn Earth into Venus?
Every week on BBC World Service,CrowdScienceanswers listeners’ questions on life, Earth and the Universe. Tune in every Friday evening on BBC World Service, or catch up online atbbcworldservice.com/crowdscience
