{"id":6080,"date":"2022-11-02T14:05:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T14:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/02\/how-were-using-ai-to-help-address-the-climate-crisis\/"},"modified":"2022-11-02T14:05:00","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T14:05:00","slug":"how-were-using-ai-to-help-address-the-climate-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/02\/how-were-using-ai-to-help-address-the-climate-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"How we&#8217;re using AI to help address the climate crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Author: <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p data-block-key=\"wglz8\"><\/p>\n<p data-block-key=\"6d6jq\">Communities around the world are facing the effects of climate change \u2014 from devastating floods and wildfires to challenges around food security. As global leaders meet in Egypt for <a href=\"https:\/\/cop27.eg\/#\/\">COP27<\/a>, a key area of focus will be on how we can work together to address the climate change crisis <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/outreach-initiatives\/sustainability\/COP27-Google-climate-action\/\">and implement sustainable solutions<\/a>. At Google, we\u2019re investing in technologies that can help communities prepare for and respond to climate-related disasters and threats.<\/p>\n<h3 data-block-key=\"b3tua\">Tools to alert people and governments about immediate risks<\/h3>\n<p data-block-key=\"afqpq\">Natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. As part of our <a href=\"https:\/\/crisisresponse.google\/\">Crisis Response<\/a> efforts, we&#8217;re working to bring trusted information to people in critical moments to keep them safe and informed. To do so, we rely on the research and development of our AI-powered technologies and longstanding partnerships with frontline emergency workers and organizations. Here\u2019s a look at some of our crisis response efforts and new ways we\u2019re expanding these tools.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-block-key=\"69je\">\n<b>Floods:<\/b> Catastrophic <a href=\"http:\/\/g.co\/floods\">damage from flooding<\/a> affects more than 250 million people every year. In 2018, we launched our flood <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/technology\/ai\/expanding-our-ml-based-flood-forecasting\/\">forecasting initiative<\/a> that <a href=\"https:\/\/hess.copernicus.org\/articles\/26\/4013\/2022\/\">uses machine learning models<\/a> to provide people with detailed alerts. In 2021, we sent 115 million flood alert notifications to 23 million people over Search and Maps, helping save countless lives. Today, we\u2019re expanding our flood forecasts to river basins in 18 additional countries across Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. We\u2019re also announcing the global launch of the new <a href=\"http:\/\/g.co\/floodhub\">FloodHub<\/a>, a platform that displays flood forecasts and shows when and where floods may occur to help people directly at risk and provide critical information to aid organizations and governments. This expansion in geographic coverage is possible thanks to our recent breakthroughs in AI-based flood forecasting models, and we\u2019re committed to expanding to more countries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block-image_full_width\">\n<div class=\"h-c-page\">\n<div class=\"article-image__is-caption h-c-grid__col--10 h-c-grid__col--offset-1 h-c-grid__col-l--offset-2 h-c-grid__col-l--8\"><a class=\"article-image--link\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"An image of a FloodHub map showing areas where riverine floods my occur\" class=\"article-image--full\" data-loading='{\n                \"mobile\": \"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod\/images\/Screen_Shot_2022-10-31_at_22.08.32_cuEwOVg.max-500x500.png\",\n                \"desktop\": \"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod\/images\/Screen_Shot_2022-10-31_at_22.08.32_cuEwOVg.max-1000x1000.png\"\n              }' loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod\/images\/Screen_Shot_2022-10-31_at_22.08.32_cuEwOVg.max-100x100.png\" tabindex=\"0\"><\/a><\/div><figcaption class=\"article-image__caption article-image__is-caption-image h-c-grid__col--8 h-c-grid__col--offset-2 h-c-grid__col-l--6 h-c-grid__col-l--offset-3\">\n<div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p data-block-key=\"ystsf\">The new Google FloodHub at <a href=\"https:\/\/g.co\/floodhub\">g.co\/floodhub<\/a> shows forecasts for riverine floods. Forecasts are now available in 18 additional countries: Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Angola, South Sudan, Namibia, Liberia, South Africa.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p data-block-key=\"wglz8\">\n<ul>\n<li data-block-key=\"clrbq\">\n<b>Wildfires:<\/b> Wildfires affect hundreds of thousands of people each year, and are increasing in frequency and size. I <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/products\/search\/mapping-wildfires-with-satellite-data\/\">experienced firsthand<\/a> the need for accurate information when wildfires occur and this inspired our crisis response work. We detect wildfire boundaries using new AI models based on satellite imagery and show their real-time location in Search and Maps. Since July, we\u2019ve covered more than 30 big wildfire events in the U.S. and Canada, helping inform people and firefighting teams with over 7 million views in Search and Maps. Today, wildfire detection is now available in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and parts of Australia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block-image_full_width\">\n<div class=\"h-c-page\">\n<div class=\"article-image__is-caption h-c-grid__col-l--6 h-c-grid__col--8 h-c-grid__col-l--offset-3 h-c-grid__col--offset-2\"><a class=\"article-image--link\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Picture shows the location of the Pukatawagan fire in Manitoba, Canada.\" class=\"article-image--large\" data-loading='{\n                \"mobile\": \"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod\/images\/boundary_tracking_graphics_1_xGJMBgH.max-500x500.png\",\n                \"desktop\": \"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod\/images\/boundary_tracking_graphics_1_xGJMBgH.max-1000x1000.png\"\n              }' loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod\/images\/boundary_tracking_graphics_1_xGJMBgH.max-100x100.png\" tabindex=\"0\"><\/a><\/div><figcaption class=\"article-image__caption article-image__is-caption-image h-c-grid__col--8 h-c-grid__col--offset-2 h-c-grid__col-l--6 h-c-grid__col-l--offset-3\">\n<div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p data-block-key=\"ystsf\">The location of the Pukatawagan fire in Manitoba, Canada.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"rich-text\">\n<ul>\n<li data-block-key=\"wglz8\">\n<b>Hurricanes:<\/b> Access to authoritative forecasts and safety information about hurricanes can be life-saving. In the days before a hurricane in North America or a typhoon in Japan, <a href=\"https:\/\/crisisresponse.google\/forecasting-and-alerts\/\">detailed forecasts<\/a> from authoritative sources appear on <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/sosalerts\/?hl=en\">SOS Alerts<\/a> in Search and Maps to show a storm\u2019s predicted trajectory. We&#8217;re also using machine learning to <a href=\"https:\/\/ai.googleblog.com\/2020\/06\/machine-learning-based-damage.html\">analyze satellite imagery<\/a> after disasters and identify which areas need help. When Hurricane Ian hit Florida in September, this technology was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/hurricane-ian-destroyed-homes-google-algorithms-sent-money\/\">deployed in partnership with Google.org grantee GiveDirectly<\/a> to quickly allocate aid to those most affected.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-block-key=\"eie89\">Managing current and future climate impacts<\/h3>\n<p data-block-key=\"4u6mn\">Climate change poses a threat to our world&#8217;s natural resources and food security. We\u2019re working with governments, organizations and communities to provide information and technologies to help address these changes.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-block-key=\"1j8bv\">\n<b>Keeping cities greener and healthier:<\/b> Extreme temperatures and poor air quality are increasingly common in cities and can impact public health. To mitigate this, our <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/outreach-initiatives\/sustainability\/sustainability-2021\/\">Project Green Light<\/a> uses AI to optimize traffic lights at intersections around the world with the aim to help minimize congestion and related pollution. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/earth\/outreach\/special-projects\/air-quality\/\">Project Air View<\/a> also brings detailed air quality maps to scientists, policymakers and communities. And we\u2019re working to expand our Environmental Insights Explorer\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/insights.sustainability.google\/labs\/treecanopy\">Tree Canopy Insights<\/a> tool to hundreds of cities by the end of this year so they can use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/heatislands\/using-trees-and-vegetation-reduce-heat-islands\">trees to lower street-level temperatures<\/a> and improve quality of life.<\/li>\n<li data-block-key=\"b19bb\">\n<b>Meeting the world\u2019s growing demand for food:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/mineral.ai\/\">Mineral<\/a> \u2014 a project from X, Alphabet\u2019s moonshot factory \u2014 is working to build a more sustainable and productive food system. The team is joining diverse data sets in radically new ways \u2014 from soil and weather data to drone and satellite images \u2014 and using AI to reveal insights never before possible about what\u2019s happening with crops. As part of our <a href=\"http:\/\/g.co\/startups\/sdg\">Startups For Sustainable Development<\/a> program, we\u2019re also supporting startups addressing food security. These include startups like <a href=\"https:\/\/events.withgoogle.com\/startups-for-sustainable-development\/oko\/\">OKO,<\/a> which provides crop insurance to keep farmers in business in case of adverse weather events and has reached tens of thousands of farmers in Mali and Uganda.<\/li>\n<li data-block-key=\"bhjpg\">\n<b>Helping farmers protect their crops:<\/b> Pest infestations can threaten entire crops and impact the livelihoods of millions. In collaboration with InstaDeep and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, our team at the Google AI Center in Ghana is using AI to better detect locust outbreaks so that it&#8217;s possible to implement control measures. In India, Google.org Fellows worked with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wadhwaniai.org\/\">Wadhwani AI<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/90640843\/google-is-helping-deploy-ai-to-prevent-pests-devastating-indian-crops\">create an AI-powered app<\/a> that helps identify and treat infestations of pests, resulting in a 20% reduction in pesticide sprays and a 26% increase in profit margins for farmers. Google Cloud is also <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/products\/google-cloud\/helping-farmers-with-cloud-technology-up-close-and-global\/\">working with agricultural technology companies<\/a> to use machine learning and cloud services to improve crop yields.<\/li>\n<li data-block-key=\"1a1ks\">\n<b>Analyzing a changing planet:<\/b> Using Google Cloud and Google Earth Engine, organizations and businesses can better assess and manage climate risks. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/cloud.google.com\/blog\/topics\/sustainability\/how-the-us-forest-service-uses-google-cloud\">the U.S. Forest Service<\/a> uses these tools to analyze land-cover changes to better respond to new wildfire threats and monitor the impacts of invasive insects, diseases and droughts. Similarly, the Bank of Montreal is <a href=\"https:\/\/sustainabilityleaders.bmo.com\/en\/news-insights\/sustainable-finance\/mitigating-physical-impacts-climate-change-spatial-finance\/\">integrating climate data<\/a> \u2014 like precipitation trends \u2014 into its business strategy and risk management for clients.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-block-key=\"f83l4\">AI already plays a critical role in addressing many urgent, climate-related challenges. It is important that we continue to invest in research and raise awareness about why we are doing this work. Google Arts &amp; Culture has collaborated with artists on the <a href=\"http:\/\/g.co\/culturemeetsclimate\">Culture meets Climate<\/a> collection so everyone can explore more perspectives on climate change. And at COP27 we hope to generate more awareness and engage in productive discussions about how to use AI, innovations, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.datacommons.org\/\">shared data<\/a> to help global communities address the changing climate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block-perspective_qa\">\n<div class=\"uni-related-article-tout h-c-page\" data-component=\"uni-related-article-tout\">\n<section class=\"h-c-grid\"><a class=\"uni-related-article-tout__wrapper h-c-grid__col h-c-grid__col--8 h-c-grid__col-m--6 h-c-grid__col-l--6 h-c-grid__col--offset-2 h-c-grid__col-m--offset-3 h-c-grid__col-l--offset-3 uni-click-tracker\" data-analytics='{\n                      \"event\": \"page interaction\",\n                      \"category\": \"article lead\",\n                      \"action\": \"related article - inline\",\n                      \"label\": \"article: cop27-google-climate-action\"\n                    }' href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/outreach-initiatives\/sustainability\/cop27-google-climate-action\/\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"uni-related-article-tout__inner-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"uni-related-article-tout__eyebrow h-c-eyebrow\">Related Article<\/p>\n<div class=\"uni-related-article-tout__content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"uni-related-article-tout__image-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"uni-related-article-tout__image\" data-loading='{\n              \"mobile\": \"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod\/images\/EUE-APW-120721-953-Edit.max-500x500.jpg\",\n              \"desktop\": \"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod\/images\/EUE-APW-120721-953-Edit.max-500x500.jpg\"\n            }' style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod\/images\/EUE-APW-120721-953-Edit.max-100x100.jpg')\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"uni-related-article-tout__content\">\n<h4 class=\"uni-related-article-tout__header h-has-bottom-margin\">Accelerating climate action at Google and beyond<\/h4>\n<p class=\"uni-related-article-tout__body\">A new paper we published today shares updates on the work we have been doing as part of our third decade of climate action.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cta module-cta h-c-copy uni-related-article-tout__cta muted\"><span class=\"nowrap\">Read Article<svg class=\"icon h-c-icon\" role=\"presentation\"><use xlink:href=\"#mi-arrow-forward\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/outreach-initiatives\/sustainability\/cop27-adaptation-efforts\/\">Go to Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Author: Communities around the world are facing the effects of climate change \u2014 from devastating floods and wildfires to challenges around food security. As global [&hellip;] <span class=\"read-more-link\"><a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/02\/how-were-using-ai-to-help-address-the-climate-crisis\/\">Read More<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6081,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6080"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6080"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6080\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6081"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6080"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6080"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aiproblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6080"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}