Speakers Focus on Potential of Artificial Intelligence to Address Climate Change, as Science, Technology and Innovation Multi-stakeholder Forum Opens
Discussions on the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to address climate change took centre stage at a United Nations forum today, with speakers urging that investment in such technology should be more focused on solving global problems.
“I honestly felt almost ashamed” that the big AI builders — led by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and China — have been mostly focused on winning the AI race rather than collaborating to address the 17 problems that the United Nations summarized in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said Daniela Braga, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Defined.ai., in her opening remarks to the ninth Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Investment in AI for sustainability “is severely underfunded and under-resourced”, she pointed out, welcoming the Bezos Earth Fund’s recent announcement of a $100 million grant to combat climate change with AI.
Detailing the benefits AI brings to humanity, such as productivity enhancement, access to information, personalization in education, increased access to health care, better management of waste and energy consumption, monitoring climate change, smart buildings and autonomous vehicles, she emphasized that “AI allows us to scale ourselves more.”
Also addressing the opening segment was Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition, who noted that investment in renewable energy has almost doubled since the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
But this disguises an alarming trend, he said, noting: Of the $1.8 trillion invested in clean energy in 2023, emerging and developing countries outside of China account only for 15 per cent despite that they represent two thirds of the global population and a third of global gross domestic product (GDP). The clean energy investment in these countries in 2023 also stayed the same from 2015, he said, calling for necessary finance.
For his part, Dennis Francis, President of the General Assembly, warned that the intensity of climate change is outpacing the international community’s coping capacities. “The technologies and insights provided by artificial intelligence and machine learning offer unprecedented opportunities to advance our knowledge and address complex global challenges — from improving climate modelling and enhancing renewable energy forecasts, to optimizing resource use and protecting biodiversity,” he said.
Yet, the benefits of scientific advancements are not equally shared by the least developed, landlocked developing and small island developing States, he said, urging: “Together, let us forge a future that fully embraces the potential of science, technology and innovation to catalyse progress.”
Paula Narvaez, President of the Economic and Social Council, urged intensified efforts to leverage science, technology and innovation for the SDGs, fostering action-oriented collaboration across borders and sectors to bridge divides and drive progress. “The Forum plays a crucial role in this endeavour,” she stressed.
The Forum, organized by the Economic and Social Council, will run through 10 May, featuring ministerial and thematic discussions, under the overall theme “Science, technology and innovation for reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”.
Ministerial Session
Chaired by Inga Rhonda King (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) and Christina Markus Lassen (Denmark), Co-Chairs of the 2024 of the 2024 Science, Technology and Innovation Forum, the ministerial session under the theme “Harnessing science and technology for the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient, and innovative solutions” featured statements by the following panellists: Li Junhua, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs; Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Chair, UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development; and Joyeeta Gupta, Co-Chair, United Nations Group of Ten High-level Representatives of Civil Society, Private Sector and Scientific Community to Promote Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the 10-Member-Group.
Mr. JUNHUA said that the solution to accelerating climate change and environmental degradation, increased conflict and growing geopolitical tensions will require action and determination delivered at speed and scale through partnerships at national, regional and global levels. “There is no time to lose,” he stated, noting that science, technology and innovation hold “immense potential to shape and drive global solutions to the most pressing problems”. This Forum is a platform for solutions, he said, adding that science and technology can create pathways for complex development challenges facing particularly small island and the least developed countries.
Mr. KHA, presenting the outcomes of the twenty-seventh annual session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development held from 15 to 19 April in Geneva, underlined that “start-ups play an important role in connecting technology with society”, engaging research in frontier technologies such as quantum computing and renewable energy; improving the quality of higher education and developing scientific and technological research; promoting innovation and technology transfer; and ensuring investments in water desalination technologies. Further, he stressed, science, technology and innovation cooperation should aim at closing the technology gap between developed and developing countries, including through increased involvement in global research networks.
“The window is closing on climate and other environmental challenges, while many social and economic challenges remain unmet or even exacerbated,” warned Ms. GUPTA. These interrelated challenges have led to growing calls for justice by social movements and caused conflicts worldwide. If artificial intelligence (AI) is carefully regulated, it might enhance efficient, sustainable food production, she observed, adding that positive actions to promote women’s participation in science are critical for addressing several SDGs. Also, consumption patterns must change — including fast fashion and meat consumption — while investment must become sustainable to address the multiple challenges in the SDG road map. “We all have a right to develop but no longer at the expense of others,” she asserted, adding that “industrialized countries need the cooperation of developing countries to address the common challenges”.
The ensuing discussion featured statements by a number of ministers and high-level representatives, who underscored the need for efforts both national and international to harness science, technology and innovation to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Many speakers, including the representative of Belize, speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), underlined the importance of collective efforts to create a “digital world” that is universally accessible, advances peace and security and improves lives. Similarly, Armenia’s representative said that a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach — involving countries, organizations, civil society, the private sector and the scientific community — is “indispensable” for the development of science, technology and innovation. “Only together can we meet the moment and work to achieve the SDGs,” observed the representative of the United States. However, the representative of Uganda, speaking for the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, pointed out that developing States are challenged by an unjust prevailing international economic order.
Speakers also spotlighted national efforts and priorities in this field, including the representatives of Tajikistan and Türkiye, who detailed Government investment in renewable-energy projects in their respective countries. Others reported on national development strategies that focus on AI, with Serbia’s representative stating that the fusion of AI and biotechnology “is the next big thing” and Georgia’s representative noting his Government’s prioritization of AI in relation to agriculture technology. The representative of the Philippines, meanwhile, outlined Government efforts to bring high-speed Internet to underserved communities, unlocking opportunities for education, health care and socioeconomic development.
Amidst the many global challenges that impede the realization of the SDGs, flexible, responsive science is key to allow the international community to respond quickly to new, unexpected threats, said the representative of Poland, recalling the global push to develop COVID-19 vaccines in 2020-2021. “History shows that useful knowledge is often completely unanticipated,” observed the representative of the European Union, echoing others in underlining the importance of empowering individuals across cultures and nations to pursue their curiosity and develop new knowledge. Asking and answering the question of what politicians and policymakers can do, she said: “We, as funders, must keep funding — and, indeed, we must increase the funding — that is available for fundamental research.”
Thematic Session I
In a thematic discussion, titled “More and more effective funding and capacity for SDG-related research and innovation in all regions (SDG17),” speakers explored the status of cooperation and funding in these areas to achieve the SDGs.
“Envision a world […] not led by Global North tech hubs, but where technology isn’t a distant concept for underrepresented groups, but rather an integral part of their everyday lives,” said Daniela Carvajalino Tobon from Colombia, a UN innovator competition winner. In presenting “Wingu”, a digital platform for municipal services, she detailed how her project helped Indigenous women embrace digital solutions.
She said that social digital innovation development must become a sustained, long-term commitment involving all stakeholders, especially the funders. “This is the world we strive to create — one where technology does not perpetuate social, economic and political disparities, where digital space does not reproduce gender, education or labour inequalities, but rather serves as a catalyst for inclusivity and empowering underrepresented groups to thrive,” she said.
Tanaka Akihiko, President, Japan International Cooperation Agency, proposed a mindset shift, moving from the current catchword “STI (science, technology and innovation) for development” to “STI in development”. The former seems to be a concept for researchers, but the latter can engage researchers and practitioners in development agencies. While supporting universities and research institutions in developing countries is important, researchers in developed countries must be more aware of development issues. “In this sense, capacity-building is needed in both developed and developing countries,” he stressed.
Sharing best practices was also the objective of this discussion. Alejandro Adem, President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canada, and Chair, Global Research Council, said that his country’s funding agencies came together to propose an international joint initiative for researching climate change adaptation and mitigation. This $60 million project over three years, with $30 million coming from other partners, including Brazil, Germany, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, had more than 100 applications and can serve as a model for multilateral research.
Similarly, Thandi Mgwebi, Group Executive, National Research Foundation, South Africa, introduced the Science Granting Councils Initiative, which has allowed 17 African countries to come together and incubate several projects in addition to building capacities for science.
The panellists also examined the gaps between science and development. Li Jinghai, President of the International Panel of Mesoscience, said that the 17 SDGs constitute a complex global system, and science is not sufficient to address it. “There are serious confusions about the relationship among the Goals,” he said, proposing a new framework by regrouping the SDGs into three subgroups, with Goals 2, 6, 7, 14 and 15 in one group, Goals 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 16 in another and Goals 9, 11, 12, 13 and 17 in a third group.
Thematic Session II
In the thematic session II, titled “Strengthening scientific cooperation, technology and knowledge sharing and accelerating innovation for integrated climate action (SDG13)”, speakers explored the role of science, technology and innovation in accelerating integrated climate action and synergistic solutions.
Karen Scrivener, Professor, Laboratory of Construction Materials, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland, and founder of Nanocem, underscored that construction materials have a significant carbon footprint — about 15-20 per cent. Over the last three to four decades, China has driven an increase in demand and now represents more than half of the cement and steel production. However, in the next few decades, this will change dramatically as the demand in China drops by two thirds, and other developing regions — notably India and Africa — come to the fore. “How can we fulfil the present need for housing and infrastructure while mitigating climate change?” she asked, stressing the need to implement solutions in developing countries, including by building research infrastructure. She further stressed that emissions can be decreased by 70-80 per cent just by developing and applying existing technologies.
Haozhe Zhao, Director of ESG Management and Sustainability at Everpower Energy Inc. and the Founder and CEO of Quakers Capital, highlighted the significant challenges climate change poses to the environment and the global economy, noting that “technological innovation emerges as the key pathway forward”. To benefit more countries and people, making meaningful contributions to global environmental sustainability is crucial, he said, detailing his company’s projects. These include green mining technology — a ground-breaking patented technology that has been successfully implemented in industrial production. He also introduced the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly photovoltaic power generation system, stating: “We believe in power wherever there is light.” He further stressed the need to meet the global demand for sustainable energy, catalyse economic development and alleviate electricity shortages.
Elisabeth Gilmore, Carleton University, Canada, and Peace Research Institute, Oslo, Norway, said that climate scientists model potential futures, using scenarios that start with “where we are now and where we may go”. These scenarios are trying to capture many complex changes, including rates of technological progress. She stressed that climate technologies that elevate new voices, transform power relationships and enhance individual agency require open sharing of knowledge and places where ideas can be contested “to realize these more positive futures”. Noting the role of universities and academics in this regard, she underlined the importance of using technologies to “reinforce trust and cooperation through shared values”.
Thematic Session III
In the final thematic session of the day, titled “Bridging the science, technology and innovation divides to eradicate poverty and end hunger (SDGs 1 and 2)”, speakers discussed how to tackle poverty, hunger and their consequences by harnessing new technology.
Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said that science, technology and innovation hold the potential to unlock employment opportunities, bridge the rural divide and empower small-scale producers, family farmers, rural youth and women to access information, technology and markets. Detailing FAO efforts in this regard, he emphasized that technology and innovation must be universally available, accessible and affordable and must respond to the specific needs of the most vulnerable.
Providing a tangible example of such a response, Lady Mariéme Jamme, Chief Sustainability Officer and Founder of iamtheCODE Foundation, detailed her work in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya teaching marginalized women and girls basic coding skills. She pointed out, however, that — while such individuals can learn how to code — “they don’t have food”. To respond, her organization has served over 300,000 meals in the Kakuma Refugee Camp alone and, further, developed a “healthbot” app that young women and girls can use to learn about vital health and development issues. “We take food for granted,” she stressed, but many only have one meal a day — “if they are lucky”.
Arlan Peters, Head of Sustainability for Novonesis North America, then pointed out that “poverty and hunger are intrinsically linked with food waste”. According to the World Bank, almost 10 per cent of the world’s population lives in poverty; yet, more than 1 billion tons of food are wasted each year. To tackle this, Novonesis combines biosolutions such as good bacteria and fermentation to extend the shelf life of food. He stressed, however, that business and industry must do better to support the localization of the SDGs, stating that the sector can “learn a lot” from locally adapted innovations that reduce food loss while empowering local farmers.
Outlining myriad global challenges in the agrifood sector was Motoko Kotani, Executive Vice President for Research, Professor and Principal Investigator at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research and Mathematics at Tohoku University in Japan. To respond, the international community must work to strengthen food security and global logistics management. Also highlighting a challenge present in her country — an aging population — she spotlighted possible solutions, such as speeding up crop breeding with biotechnology and addressing labour shortages with automated production.
Finally, Patrick Caron, Vice-Chair of the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers System Board, said that “technology is available to solve the interconnected problems of poverty and hunger”. However, this technology does not always contribute to sustainable development, the obstacles to change are many and there is no “magic bullet” that hits all contexts. Outlining suggestions for immediate action, he urged the pooling of collective intelligence. For its part, the Consortium aims to provide a safe space for risk-taking amidst increasing polarization of food issues — “for thinking the unthinkable”, he said.