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After spending almost a decade working in computer science and artificial intelligence (AI), Sasha Luccioni was ready to uproot her whole life three years ago after she became deeply concerned by the climate crisis.
But her partner convinced her to not give up her career completely but instead apply her knowledge of AI to some of the challenges posed by climate change.
"You don't need to quit your job in AI in order to contribute to fighting the climate crisis," she said. "There are ways that almost any AI technique can be applied to different parts of climate change."
She joined the Montreal-based AI research centre Mila and became a founding member of Climate Change AI, an organization of volunteer academics who advocate using AI to solve problems related to climate change.
Luccioni is part of a growing community of researchers in Canada who are using AI in this way.
In 2019, she co-authored a report arguing that machine learning can be a useful tool for mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change.
Computer scientists define machine learning as a form of artificial intelligence that enables computers to use historical data and statistical methods to make predictions and decisions without having to be programmed to do so.
Common applications of machine learning include predictive text, spam filters, language translation apps, streaming content recommendations, malware and fraud detection and social media algorithms.
Applications for machine learning in climate research include climate forecasting and optimization of electricity, transportation and energy systems, according to the 2019 report.
Preparing for crop diseases
Researchers at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) are using AI modelling to warn farmers about risks to their crops as weather becomes more unpredictable.
Drones, AI being used in climate change research at new centre on P.E.I.
"If you have a dry year, you see very little disease, but with a wet year, you can get quite a bit of disease around plants," said Aitazaz Farooque, interim associate dean of UPEI's School of Climate Change and Adaptation.
