UN sets out opportunities and risks for AI in climate action
Developing countries will need support to expand digital infrastructure and skills, build comprehensive datasets and to offset energy and water consumption if they are to use artificial intelligence to address climate change, the UN has said.
The technical paper ‘Artificial Intelligence for Climate Action: Advancing Mitigation and Adaptation in Developing Countries’ was released by the UN’s Technology Executive Committee earlier this month.
It sets out the opportunities and challenges of using AI for climate action, with a focus on least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS).
As it highlights, AI can help countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts. For example, it can analyse transport data to reduce fuel consumption through efficient traffic planning; and enhance energy grid efficiency, forecast power demand, and optimise solar and wind energy deployment.
It can also help to predict extreme weather events such as floods and hurricanes, enabling proactive disaster risk management, and to support infrastructure planning and biodiversity conservation among a host of other uses.
However, the paper warns that AI also presents risks that need to be addressed if it is to help drive climate action efficiently and sustainably.
Many developing countries “face digital infrastructure limitations including unreliable internet connectivity, inadequate computing power, and a lack of skilled professionals to develop and deploy AI systems,” it explains.
In addition, many lack comprehensive and reliable datasets, data-sharing frameworks and cybersecurity measures, making AI outputs “unreliable or prone to exploitation”.
The paper also focuses on the energy and water consumption of AI and associated concern about its viability for driving sustainability, particularly in regions with limited natural resources.
Read more: AI makes water shortages harder to predict, says UK Environment Agency
The recommendations
To address these issues, the paper sets out 14 recommendations related to these six areas:
- Expanding digital infrastructure and investing in AI capacity-building programmes;
- Strengthening climate data collection efforts;
- Adopting robust governance frameworks that promote the responsible use of AI;
- Addressing gender bias and social inequalities by designing AI models with inclusive approaches;
- Managing the energy and water consumption of AI by developing energy-efficient AI systems and promoting sustainability in AI operations;
- And strengthening cooperation between governments, UN agencies, the private sector and other stakeholders to facilitate AI adoption and address regulatory gaps.
Implementing the recommendations will allow developing countries “to harness AI as a strategic tool to implement climate action at scale. Addressing lack of infrastructure, sustainability concerns, data, and governance gaps, will not only strengthen local capacities but also create opportunities for innovation and collaboration, ensuring these countries actively participate in global climate efforts while addressing their unique climate challenges,” the UN paper concludes.
Read more: Report urges AI sustainability as energy concerns grow
About Mia Hunt
Mia has been editor of globalgovernmentforum.com since 2019. She has 15 years’ experience as a journalist and editor and specialises in writing for civil and public servants worldwide, including covering sustainability policy and related issues. She has led the Global Government Women’s Network since it launched in 2023. Previously, she covered commercial property having been market reports and supplements editor at Property Week and deputy editor at Retail Destination. She graduated from Kingston University London with a first-class honours degree in journalism and was part of the team that produced The River newspaper, which won Publication of the Year at the Guardian Student Media Awards in 2010.
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