UN Report: World Off Track on Climate Goals, AI Could Offer Solutions
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On Thu, 19 Sept, 8:03 AM UTC
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[1]
World off track on climate fight but AI could help: UN
GENEVA (AFP) - The world remains far off track in tackling climate crisis, but the UN voiced hope that artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies will help address the towering challenges. In a new report, the United Nations (UN) warned the goals laid out in the 2015 Paris climate accord, aiming to keep global temperature rises below 1.5 degree Celsius (°C) above pre-industrial levels, appeared to be slipping away, with disastrous consequences. The multi-agency United in Science report, coordinated by the UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO), highlighted that greenhouse gas concentrations have hit record levels, fuelling temperature increases into the future. "The science is clear: We are far off track from achieving global climate goals," WMO chief Celeste Saulo told reporters in Geneva. If current policies remain unchanged, the report warned there is now a two-thirds likelihood that global warming will hit 3°C this century. Saulo said 2023 was already the warmest year on record "by a huge margin" and the first eight months of this year had followed the same trend. "We are sounding the red alert for the planet," she said. At the same time, Saulo stressed that "there is hope". "We have to have hope for the sake of future generations." Released ahead of the UN's Summit of the Future in New York this weekend, the report pointed to advances in natural and social sciences and technological innovations. "They could be game changers for climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development," Saulo insisted. AI and machine learning in particular could be "transformative technologies", the report said, suggesting that they could "revolutionise weather forecasting and could equip society with better tools to respond and adapt to climate change". The technologies, which are rapidly improving the ability to process vast amounts of data, could make skilful weather modelling faster, cheaper and more accessible, enabling a "paradigm shift in predicting extreme and hazardous weather events", it said. The report also highlighted great advances in space-based Earth observations, which have "opened new frontiers" in the understanding of weather, climate, water and environmental patterns.
[2]
World off track on climate fight but AI could help: UN
The world remains far off track in tackling climate crisis, but the UN voiced hope Wednesday that artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies will help address the towering challenges. In a new report, the United Nations warned the goals laid out in the 2015 Paris climate accord, aiming to keep global temperature rises below 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels, appeared to be slipping away, with disastrous consequences. The multi-agency "United in Science" report, coordinated by the UN's World Meteorological Organization, highlighted that greenhouse gas concentrations have hit record levels, fuelling temperature increases into the future. "The science is clear: We are far off track from achieving global climate goals," WMO chief Celeste Saulo told reporters in Geneva. If current policies remain unchanged, the report warned there is now a two-thirds likelihood that global warming will hit 3C this century. Saulo said 2023 was already the warmest year on record "by a huge margin" and the first eight months of this year had followed the same trend. "We are sounding the red alert for the planet," she said. At the same time, Saulo stressed that "there is hope". "We have to have hope for the sake of future generations." Released ahead of the UN's Summit of the Future in New York this weekend, the report pointed to advances in natural and social sciences and technological innovations. "They could be game changers for climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development," Saulo insisted. AI and machine learning in particular could be "transformative technologies", the report said, suggesting that they could "revolutionise weather forecasting and could equip society with better tools to respond and adapt to climate change". The technologies, which are rapidly improving the ability to process vast amounts of data, could make skilful weather modelling faster, cheaper and more accessible, enabling a "paradigm shift in predicting extreme and hazardous weather events", it said. The report also highlighted great advances in space-based Earth observations, which have "opened new frontiers" in the understanding of weather, climate, water and environmental patterns. Satellite technologies are for instance enabling extreme weather forecasting in difficult to reach regions, and places lacking ground-based observations. WMO acknowledged that new technologies can also be detrimental to climate action, due for instance to significant energy use. Saulo called on countries to "put controls in place so that these developments are for the benefit of the global community, ... and avoid the negative impacts".
[3]
World off track on climate fight but AI could help: UN
In a new report, the United Nations warned the goals laid out in the 2015 Paris climate accord, aiming to keep global temperature rises below 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels, appeared to be slipping away, with disastrous consequences.The world remains far off track in tackling climate crisis, but the UN voiced hope Wednesday that artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies will help address the towering challenges. In a new report, the United Nations warned the goals laid out in the 2015 Paris climate accord, aiming to keep global temperature rises below 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels, appeared to be slipping away, with disastrous consequences. The multi-agency "United in Science" report, coordinated by the UN's World Meteorological Organization, highlighted that greenhouse gas concentrations have hit record levels, fuelling temperature increases into the future. "The science is clear: We are far off track from achieving global climate goals," WMO chief Celeste Saulo told reporters in Geneva. If current policies remain unchanged, the report warned there is now a two-thirds likelihood that global warming will hit 3C this century. Saulo said 2023 was already the warmest year on record "by a huge margin" and the first eight months of this year had followed the same trend. "We are sounding the red alert for the planet," she said. At the same time, Saulo stressed that "there is hope". "We have to have hope for the sake of future generations." Released ahead of the UN's Summit of the Future in New York this weekend, the report pointed to advances in natural and social sciences and technological innovations. "They could be game changers for climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development," Saulo insisted. AI and machine learning in particular could be "transformative technologies", the report said, suggesting that they could "revolutionise weather forecasting and could equip society with better tools to respond and adapt to climate change". The technologies, which are rapidly improving the ability to process vast amounts of data, could make skilful weather modelling faster, cheaper and more accessible, enabling a "paradigm shift in predicting extreme and hazardous weather events", it said. The report also highlighted great advances in space-based Earth observations, which have "opened new frontiers" in the understanding of weather, climate, water and environmental patterns. Satellite technologies are for instance enabling extreme weather forecasting in difficult to reach regions, and places lacking ground-based observations. WMO acknowledged that new technologies can also be detrimental to climate action, due for instance to significant energy use. Saulo called on countries to "put controls in place so that these developments are for the benefit of the global community, and avoid the negative impacts".
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A new UN report highlights the world's failure to meet climate targets but suggests AI could play a crucial role in combating climate change. The report emphasizes the need for urgent action and innovative solutions.
World Falling Behind on Climate Goals
The United Nations has released a sobering report indicating that the world is significantly off track in its fight against climate change. According to the UN's assessment, global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming are falling short of the targets set in the Paris Agreement 1.
The report emphasizes that current policies and actions are insufficient to meet the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This stark reality underscores the urgent need for more ambitious and effective climate action on a global scale.
The Potential of AI in Climate Solutions
Despite the grim outlook, the UN report highlights a potential game-changer in the fight against climate change: artificial intelligence (AI). The document suggests that AI could play a crucial role in developing innovative solutions to address the climate crisis 2.
AI technologies have the potential to enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in various ways:
- Improving climate modeling and predictions
- Optimizing renewable energy systems
- Enhancing energy efficiency in buildings and industries
- Developing smart transportation systems to reduce emissions
- Monitoring and managing natural resources more effectively
Urgent Call for Action and Innovation
The UN report serves as a wake-up call for governments, businesses, and individuals worldwide. It stresses the need for immediate and drastic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to sustainable practices across all sectors of the economy 3.
Key recommendations from the report include:
- Accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources
- Implementing stricter regulations on carbon emissions
- Investing in research and development of clean technologies
- Promoting sustainable land use and forest conservation
- Encouraging international cooperation and knowledge sharing
The Role of AI in Climate Action
While AI is not a silver bullet, the UN report suggests that it could significantly contribute to climate change mitigation efforts. Some potential applications of AI in climate action include:
- Optimizing grid systems for renewable energy integration
- Improving weather forecasting for better disaster preparedness
- Enhancing climate risk assessment and adaptation planning
- Developing more efficient carbon capture and storage technologies
- Facilitating sustainable urban planning and design
As the world grapples with the urgent need to address climate change, the integration of AI technologies offers a glimmer of hope. However, the report emphasizes that AI alone cannot solve the climate crisis and must be complemented by robust policy measures, international cooperation, and widespread behavioral changes.
Reference
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