Artificial Intelligence can reduce 5 to 10 percent GHG emission: Study

New Delhi: According to a new report from the AI for the Planet Alliance, 87 per cent  of public- and private-sector leaders believe that Artificial intelligence is a “valuable asset” in the fight against climate change.

The report, titled “How AI Can Be a Powerful Tool in the Fight Against Climate Change”  was produced in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and BCG GAMMA.

According to BCG, use of AI can drive reductions of 5% to 10% GHG emissions, or 2.6 to 5.3 gigatons of CO2e if applied globally.

Based on survey results from over 1,000 executives with decision-making authority on AI or climate-change initiatives, the report  mentioned that roughly 40% of organizations can envision using AI for their own climate efforts.

However, even among these experts, there is widespread agreement that significant barriers to broad adoption remain in place, the report said.

The report said 78 per cent of respondents cite insufficient AI expertise as an obstacle to using AI in their climate change efforts, 77 percent cite limited availability of AI solutions as a roadblock, and 67% point to a lack of confidence in AI-related data and analysis.

“AI’s unique capacity to gather, complete, and interpret large, complex data sets means it can help stakeholders take a more informed and data-driven approach to combating carbon emissions and addressing climate risks,” said Hamid Maher, managing director and partner at BCG and BCG GAMMA, and a coauthor of the report.

“However, most existing AI-related climate solutions are scattered, tend to be difficult to access, and lack the resources to scale. These shortcomings need to change” he added.

Emphasizing that AI solutions must be user-friendly and readily accessible, the report said,  “It must offer tangible benefits to the user and provide clear recommendations that are easy to act on.

It further added that AI solutions therefore need much more meaningful support, including access to capital investment, decision makers, and trained practitioners.

“AI has a strong promise to help solve the climate crisis, but AI alone is not enough. It depends on the will of decision makers to act and make necessary changes—supported in part by AI and other emerging technologies,” said Damien Gromier, founder of AI for the Planet and a coauthor of the report.

AI for the Planet has also  invited all interested parties to participate in its call for solutions, with proposals in any stage of maturity and from any sector, whether private, public, academic, or nonprofit.

The report also called the three effective ways to combat climate change, which include Mitigation, Adapation  and Resilience, and fundamental.

“One of the most critical uses of AI is in the measurement, reduction, and removal of emissions and greenhouse gas (GHG) effects. More than 60 percent of public- and private-sector leaders see the greatest business value for their organizations in the reduction and measurement of emissions” report said.