AI Earth Summit 2019
A preamble to our first annual AI Earth Summit on April 18th, 2019.
Our world is facing an unequivocal change in its climate systems. Numerous statements from the scientific community show an overwhelming consensus that climate change is happening and that human activity is the primary cause. People across the globe are feeling the effects. In the face of these momentous changes, it can often seem like an individual’s actions are inconsequential.
This mentality keeps us from realizing that we have the greatest capacity to have an impact if we act now and act together. We think these problems aren’t ours to solve and this needs to change. It keeps us from seeing it as a problem for us. It keeps us from caring about these changes in the same way we care about the more tangible small-scale problems that we see on a daily basis.
We care about our friends and family, our careers, our possessions, our aspirations, and finding our purpose and success in life. Yet, climate change puts all of these things at long term risk. The climate crisis may feel abstract or even nebulous. It may even seem like someone else’s problem. But with human action at the root of this change, it is time we all take ownership of it.
With this in mind, there are two important questions I want to pose to you today. The first, perhaps the most important one, which everyone should ask themselves:
Why should we care?
I expect this answer will vary from person to person. However, we can all unite behind: the future of the planet, which is ultimately our future, is on the line.
As Earth heats up, people across the globe are experiencing drastic shifts in weather patterns. Some face severe droughts, rising temperatures, and extreme heat waves. Some face rising sea levels that flood coastal areas, causing millions in damage, destroying precious natural spaces, and quite literally swallowing entire islands. Some populations of animals have started to die out. The most vulnerable among us — children, the elderly, and the poor — are in danger from increasing heat stress and air pollution.
And if we don’t take action now, it will all get worse.
The people, animals, landscapes and so much more that we care about are at risk. Losing these precious things is just one reason, among many, to care about the climate crisis. Which leads me to my next question:
What can be done about it?
This isn’t any one individual, group, community, or even nation’s problem. It is a global crisis. It’s time to address the fact that this is not someone else’s problem; it pertains to all of us. Every person can have an impact and participate in this global narrative. With something as large and daunting as climate change, it is easy to say it is the problem of “greater” people. That there’s someone else with more education, expertise, exposure, and influence who would do a better job at dealing with this.
But that isn’t true. Everybody has a stake in this problem, and everybody should feel as if they have a space to engage in these pressing issues. We need to break down our preconceived notions about who and what can have impact. We need to come together to acknowledge climate change and work unanimously to take action.
I know this is possible because the amazing thing about humans is that if we care enough about something, we stop at nothing to make a difference.
This is why AI LA is hosting the first AI Earth Summit, to allow for anyone to engage in this global climate narrative. We want to encourage the sharing of ideas, backgrounds, and disciplines to disrupt the traditional approach of problem solving within silos.
We are inviting cross-disciplinary teams to participate in context building exercises and curated breakout sessions to help solve challenges in sustainability and climate change. We want to emphasize that every person has something to contribute in these exercises and that anyone who cares to play an active part in this discussion is welcome and encouraged to attend.
We will be looking at a wide range of issues in our breakout sessions, including: climate change, biodiversity and conservation, healthy oceans, clean air, weather and disaster resilience, environmental injustice, and sustainable mobility. These are just a starting point for areas of impact, and are meant as a way to begin this greater discussion. However, the climate crisis is something that is more complicated than just these eight subjects. Every one of these subjects relates, in some way, to the others on the list. The problem solving for them will need to be addressed in a similar approach.
This event will break down the preconceived barriers of who can participate in climate action and how. The outcomes and ideas that are derived during this event won’t just be discussion points, but provide real basis for action with lasting long-term impacts. We hope to see you at the summit in April as a part of AI LA’s month on Sustainability and Climate Change.
Chloe Grubb is a senior in Robotics at Olin College of Engineering who has focused her time in user-centered (UX) design. She hopes to bridge the gap between engineering and design to create impactful experiences for users. Over the past four years, she has dedicated these skills to addressing the need for increased environmental awareness. Spearheading a Climate Action semester at her school and piloting a start-up, Drina, to allow users to make environmentally conscious decisions highlights her desire to utilize UX design to engage and excite people in the changes that need to happen for environmental stability. Being a contributor to AI Earth Summit is the next step in her environmental action involvement.
