Climate Change is a hot topic, and technology can be a tool to reduce it’s impact or to increase it’s destructive potential. We asked the top thinkers of the world about their perspective.
“We cannot afford big tech companies contributing to climate change.”
Juantxo López de Uralde is one of Spain’s most important environmental activists. From 2001 to 2010 he held the position of Executive Director of Greenpeace Spain, after which he founded the EQUO political party. He is a member of the Spanish parliament as well as the president of the Commission for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge in Congress. As such, he is working on one of the most important pieces of legislation for the future of Spain: the climate change law.
“Collaboration is critical when it comes to climates, weather and air quality research.”
Francisco Javier Doblas-Reyes is the Director of the Earth Sciences Department at Barcelona Supercomputing Center – Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS). He led the Climate Forecast Unit at the Institut Català de Ciències del Clima (IC3) from 2010 to 2015. The Department hosts more than 100 engineers, physicists, mathematicians and social scientists who try to bring the latest developments in supercomputing and data analysis to provide the best information and services on climate and air quality.
“Coal and other types of fossil fuels account for more than 80% of China’s energy consumption, the transition to neutral energy is indeed critical to China’s climate action.”
Based in Beijing, Yao Zhe works with China Dialogue, a global network of communications experts to facilitate dialogues between scientists and the public on climate change, and to promote understanding between China and the rest of the world on the same issue.
“The digital revolution is about information and, if you think about it, the information that we have about earth systems, it’s really not enough.”
Alma Cárdenas has over 20 years of experience in technology across multiple disciplines and holds a BS in Computer Engineering from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. In 2010, she joined Microsoft where she has managed global incubation programs—building capabilities and helping Microsoft partners and customers adopt innovative technologies to build successful businesses in the cloud. Alma now serves as a Senior Program Manager for Microsoft’s AI for Earth initiative.
“We have used machine learning for detecting avalanches, forecasting tropical cyclone tracks, and predicting extreme precipitation spells.”
Claire Monteleoni is an associate professor of computer science at the University of Colorado Boulder as well as the co-founder of the Climate Informatics Workshop in 2011 and its associated hackathon in 2015. Within its first five years, the workshop attracted climate and data scientists from over 19 countries and 30 states.
“We should stop thinking about technological products as being disposable.”
Tim McPhie is the spokesperson for Climate Action and Energy at European Commission, the institution responsible for the European Green Deal which has set Europe on the path to climate neutrality by 2050, the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy, and restoring biodiversity as well as cutting pollution. The plan also outlines investments needed and financing tools available.
