Emerging Sustainability Drivers: From Artificial Intelligence to Citizen Scientists

Emerging sustainability initiatives such as renewable energy, greenwashing regulation, artificial intelligence (AI) applications and biodiversity programs are all being championed by stakeholders for the greater good of our planet.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is derived from natural sources, such as the sun and wind, that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. In 2023, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that renewable energy made up 9 percent of total energy consumption from these sources: biomass waste, biofuels and wood (60 percent); wind (18 percent); solar (11 percent); hydroelectric (10 percent); and geothermal (1 percent). 

The International Energy Agency predicts that renewables will provide more than a third of global electricity generation by early 2025—surpassing coal—due in large part to increasingly cheaper photovoltaic technology. The quest continues to improve the efficiency, cost effectiveness, adaptability and environmental footprint of existing solar panels. Advanced photovoltaics use innovative materials such as perovskites, organic and tandem solar cells, which may surpass the efficiency of traditional silicon-based solar cells. The use of floating solar panels and panels above or adjacent to agricultural production serves to minimize land use and increase opportunities for energy production. Flexible, transparent solar cells also allow for their integration into a wider range of applications.

These advancements are also aided by improvements in energy storage. Lithium-glass batteries and redux flow batteriesmanage the intermittency of renewable energies like wind and solar better and have a lower environmental impact than other batteries. Flow batteries, in particular, show potential as a cost-effective, long-term storage solution.

 

Greenwashing Regulations

Greenwashing is the practice of making a product appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really is, and new anti-greenwashing laws are being promoted to help consumers make better choices. The European Union (EU) has banned environmental claims on products that are not supported by transparent, verifiable data. It also imposes stricter regulations on potentially misleading terms such as “environmentally friendly”, “eco-friendly”, “green”, “biodegradable” and “carbon neutral”.

In a similar move intended to provide environmental transparency and oversight, the California Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act will require companies with more than $1 billion in revenues to report their direct and indirect emissions from energy consumption with third-party certification beginning in 2026. This information will be made public online.

Artificial Intelligence

AI is expected to play a larger role in fighting climate change. Some applications include:

• Identifying carbon inefficiencies within a supply chain to influence reduction strategies

• Improving the efficiency and maintenance of renewable energy infrastructure, optimizing the management of the power grid, forecasting power consumption and managing energy distribution

• Supporting the agriculture industry by analyzing soil data, plant health and weather forecasting

• Boosting recycling rates by using AI-powered machines to sort materials to be recovered

These advancements in AI are not without cost. According to Nathan Childress, Ph.D, a nuclear engineer and CEO of Macorva, “AI’s voracious appetite for energy is straining power grids and causing some tech giants to miss their carbon reduction targets. This highlights a critical need for immediate action in expanding clean energy infrastructure to support AI’s growth.”

 

Biodiversity Stewardship

According to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a United Nations-led initiative, more than half the world’s population—4.3 billion people—depend on biodiversity and nature for their livelihood, with 70 percent of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable relying directly on nature for their everyday needs. And yet, biodiversity is dwindling at an alarming rate.

“Urbanization and deforestation lead to habitat fragmentation, while pollution—particularly plastic and chemical waste—degrades ecosystems,” says Abdullah Choudhry, chief impact officer at Arbor, a carbon assessment company. “According to the World Wildlife Fund, wildlife populations have declined nearly 70 percent since 1970, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive conservation efforts.”

To protect biodiversity, volunteers are teaming up with researchers on long-term ecological projects. The nonprofit Biodiversity & Development Institute, for example, enlists citizen scientists with smartphones to identify African mammal, aquatic, insect and plant species for their Virtual Museum project. In Japan, the mobile application Biome was able to collect more than 6 million species observations with the help of the public. In a study published in eLife, scientists combined these citizen sightings with traditional data to improve ecosystem assessments and protected-area designations.

In a journal article published in BioScience, experts report a growing opportunity for citizen-led research in biodiversity, noting that people onsite are able to identify under-sampled species and help scientists gain a deeper understanding of ecological interactions among species or habitats. Offering hope for future generations, kids are also getting involved. The Biodiversity Group, in Arizona, offers a K-12 curriculum that encourages biodiversity stewardship at a young age.

 

Kelcie Ottoes is a copywriter and content creator specializing in sustainability and environmental topics.

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