environmental degradation

Environmental degradation remains one of the most pressing global challenges, threatening ecosystems, economies, and human well-being worldwide. To address this crisis, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in collaboration with its partners, is proud to announce the 2025 AI for Climate Action Innovation Factory. This initiative aims to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop innovative solutions that help mitigate environmental impacts and support global adaptation efforts.

The 2025 edition aims to further advance the use of AI in addressing pressing environmental and sustainability challenges, promoting scalable, impactful, and inclusive AI-driven projects that can contribute to meaningful solutions aligned with global priorities and the targets of the Paris Agreement. The finale will take place at COP30 in Brazil, aligning with the conference’s mission to accelerate global environmental action.

Key objectives:

1. Identify and support cutting-edge AI-driven solutions to address environmental and sustainability challenges.
2. Promote the development and deployment of AI-powered tools that drive measurable progress toward environmental resilience and sustainable development.
3. Bring together governments, academia, private sector organizations, startups, and civil society to co-create and scale impactful sustainability-focused solutions.
4. Ensure inclusivity by supporting underrepresented groups, including women, youth, and marginalized communities, in contributing to and benefiting from environmental and sustainability initiatives.
5. Showcase winning solutions during high-profile events, culminating in a grand finale at COP30 in Brazil, where selected projects will gain global recognition and opportunities for adoption.

As the planet faces accelerating environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, emerging technologies have an increasingly vital role to play in enhancing conservation efforts. Artificial intelligence (AI), in particular, is emerging as a powerful tool to address complex environmental challenges, from monitoring ecosystems and predicting habitat changes to combatting illegal wildlife trafficking. 

In this webinar, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Rector of the United Nations University (UNU), will outline the transformative potential of AI for biodiversity and conservation. He will examine how AI can support the ambitious targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework by enabling scalable, data-driven solutions that enhance our ability to understand and protect our ecosystems. 

Drawing on UNU’s global work at the intersection of AI and sustainability, Prof. Marwala will also reflect on the ethical, environmental, and equity-related challenges associated with AI, such as algorithmic bias, the digital divide, and its carbon footprint. Realising the promise of AI for biodiversity conservation will depend on our ability to govern it wisely, ensuring it serves as a force for equity, sustainability, and environmental stewardship.

Learning Objectives: 

By the end of this webinar, participants will have developed their ability to:

• Identify key facing global biodiversity and conservation efforts.
• Describe the potential applications and limitations of artificial intelligence in addressing these challenges.
• Analyse real-world case studies illustrating how AI is being used to support biodiversity monitoring and conservation.
• Evaluate the role of the United Nations University in advancing research and innovation at the intersection of AI, sustainability, and biodiversity.