The recent COP28 meeting in Dubai reinforced the ‘vital role’ that technology can play in addressing the climate crisis, GlobalData has said.
The data and analytics firm pointed out initiatives such as the AI Innovation Grand Challenge, which seeks to harness artificial intelligence in order to drive climate action in developing countries, as an indication of the role technology can play in accelerating climate action.
“It is encouraging that COP28 is bringing parties together from governments and industries to map long-term opportunities to address the climate crisis,” commented Robert Pritchard, principal enterprise technology and services analyst at GlobalData. “At the same time, the tech sector continues to innovate independently.”
Global climate hub
GlobalData said that a partnership announced at the meeting between the UN and Microsoft, which will see the development of an AI-powered platform and global climate data hub to measure and analyse global progress in reducing emissions, is another example of a ‘positive’ development.
As is the decision by telecommunications giant Telefónica to accelerate its ESG targets, outlining its commitment to reduce operating emissions by 90% and value chain emissions by 56% through to the year 2030, ahead of achieving net zero emissions by 2040.
“The combination of the inevitably slow process of getting 190 countries to agree policies and methodologies to address the climate crisis combined with the stated commitment of tech sector companies to improve their own performance and help customers to act more sustainably is good news for the planet,” Pritchard added.
“By COP 29, GlobalData expects many such further developments from the tech sector as it continues to lead in addressing global environmental challenges.”
About the AI Innovation Grand Challenge
The AI Innovation Grand Challenge was unveiled at COP28 by the UN Climate Change Technology Executive Committee (TEC), together with Enterprise Neurosystem, and seeks to advance climate-resilient and low-emissions development in the least-developed countries, as well as small island developing states.
Commenting on the initiative, which was launched on 9 December, Omar Sultan Al Olama, minister of state for artificial intelligence, digital economy and remote work applications, United Arab Emirates, commented. “Harnessing artificial intelligence as a strategic asset to mitigate climate change involves integrating it into national policies and plans. This integration facilitates the use of data analytics to align policy with real-time climate data, thereby enhancing its efficacy and advancing technological development and scientific discovery in the field of energy.
“These measures and policies should not be viewed in isolation, but rather as a unified global initiative, acknowledging that climate change transcends geographical boundaries and requires concerted global efforts.”
