Microsoft has joined forces with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform and global climate data hub.The platform will assist the UNFCCC in verifying and scrutinising climate data submitted by countries involved in the Paris Agreement.
“The Paris Agreement provides the framework for all the world’s nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees,” said Simon Stiell, UNFCCC executive secretary. “Climate change is a global emergency that goes beyond borders. It will require technology for adaptation and mitigation. We are happy to work with Microsoft in this effort.”
By utilising the platform, the UNFCCC will be able to monitor carbon emissions from various sources such as transport, agriculture, and industrial processes. Moreover, the platform will provide tools to simulate carbon reduction strategies, enabling the UNFCCC and its members to save time and money.
“The world must move faster to reduce carbon emissions,” said Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft. “Simply put, you can’t fix what you can’t measure, and these new AI and data tools will allow nations to measure emissions far better than they can today.”
Microsoft and the UNFCCC will also co-host a series of events on climate change during COP28 in Dubai in late 2023. The aim of this collaboration is to utilise technology to measure emissions accurately and accelerate efforts in reducing carbon emissions, as addressing climate change is a pressing global emergency.