10 Artificial intelligence solutions for climate change, water, biodiversity and more
ChatGPT helped random people on the street discover Artificial Intelligence (AI) about three years ago. I was one of them. At first, I was fascinated by all the possibilities—the productivity hacks, the tools, the speed. Then, like many others, I hit the existential phase: what does this mean for humanity? Now, I’m landing in a more friendly place: curiosity. I’m especially interested in how people and companies are using AI—beyond the hype—to address real-world challenges like climate change, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and other issues that matter to Mother Earth.
In this post, I’m sharing some of the most compelling AI solutions I’ve come across—many of which also include impressive cost savings. Most examples come from Europe, the United States, and parts of Africa. But they offer a valuable opportunity to learn from what’s working elsewhere and start thinking about how to adapt and apply these ideas in Latin America.
Many of these tools are already delivering results. The following cases show how AI is helping reduce emissions, protect ecosystems, and build smarter systems—from steel plants to shipping ports to smart homes.
Fasten your seatbelt and get ready for the journey!
1. Sector: Energy
Country/Region: United Kingdom
Households consume electricity inefficiently, leading to high emissions and bills. Kraken, the AI platform from Octopus Energy, manages over 8 billion data points daily from nearly 500,000 devices to shift energy use to off-peak times. In 2024 alone, this avoided over 16 million tons of CO₂ emissions. Customers in “Zero Bills” homes, places designed to produce as much clean energy as it consumes, resulting in no net energy costs for the homeowner, save significantly on heating and electricity, while EV owners save an average of $480 a year compared to unmanaged charging, and $1,000 compared to gasoline.
Source: The Economist – AI models can help generate cleaner power
2. Sector: Buildings
Country/Region: Canada, United States, Singapore
Buildings are responsible for around 20% of man-made emissions, but AI is helping cut their footprint. BrainBox AI, now part of Trane Technologies, helped Dollar Tree in Canada automate Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems across 600+ stores, saving nearly 8 GWh of electricity and over $1 million annually. Similarly, JTC in Singapore uses Microsoft’s AI and cloud tools to monitor and optimize 39 industrial buildings, achieving a 15% reduction in energy costs in the first few sites by detecting problems early and improving efficiency.
Source: The Economist – AI models are helping dirty industries go green and The Guardian – AI for Earth: a gamechanger for our planet
3. Sector: Energy Grids
Country/Region: Chile, United Kingdom, United States, Norway
Traditional power grids struggle to integrate variable renewable energy sources and meet rising electricity demand from technologies like electric vehicles. Companies like Tapestry in Chile and the UK use AI to predict congestion and optimize grid performance, unlocking additional renewable capacity, while Agder Energi in Norway, with Microsoft’s AI and cloud tools, predicts and manages energy use to improve efficiency and avoid costly infrastructure upgrades.
Source: The Economist – AI models can help generate cleaner power and The Guardian – AI for Earth: a gamechanger for our planet
4. Sector: Heavy Industry (Steel)
Country/Region: Brazil, United States
Gerdau, a global Brazilian steelmaker, uses AI from Fero Labs to optimize raw material use at a North American plant. The system improves efficiency and reduces waste by analyzing scrap batches and adjusting alloy inputs. In 2024, this technology cut emissions for a common steel grade by 3.3%—with no hardware changes.
Source: The Economist – AI models are helping dirty industries go green
5. Sector: Mining
Country/Region: Australia
Fortescue, an Australian mining giant, uses AI to redesign operations and phase out fossil fuels. Its algorithms optimize energy use and vehicle routes, even adjusting tasks based on weather to maximize solar power. This innovative load management has cut power system needs by 9%, saving nearly $500 million.
Source: The Economist – AI models are helping dirty industries go green
6. Sector: Methane detection
Country/Region: Global
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, but leaks are hard to detect. AI analyzes data from satellites, sensors, and infrared cameras to spot and measure emissions quickly. Kuva Systems, a BNEF Pioneer Award Winner, uses AI and infrared imaging to detect methane leaks in U.S. oil and gas operations. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that replacing manual inspections with AI-enabled continuous monitoring could prevent 2 million tons of methane emissions per year.
Source: The Economist – How AI could help the climate and Bloomberg Green – Meet the 2025 BloombergNEF Pioneer Award Winners
7. Sector: Agriculture
Country/Region: India, Untied States, Australia
Small farmers often struggle with high labor costs, dry climates, unpredictable weather, and a lack of precise data to manage crops efficiently. With support from Microsoft’s AI for Earth program, tools are being developed to combine satellite imagery and weather data to improve irrigation and crop timing in India. Similarly, in Australia, The Yield uses sensors, analytics, and Microsoft’s AI tools to deliver real-time weather insights, helping farmers use less water and increase yields.
Source: Microsoft – AI for Earth: Helping Save the Planet with Data Science and The Guardian – AI for Earth: a gamechanger for our planet
8. Sector: Shipping and Logistics
Country/Region: Netherlands (Port of Rotterdam), Global (Maersk)
Maersk, a leading shipping company, uses AI to optimize routes and engine use by analyzing weather, currents, and performance data. Smarter operations have cut fuel use by over 5%, saving $250 million and avoiding around 1.5 million tons of CO2 emissions. On the other hand, Rotterdam’s Routescanner platform uses AI and real-time data to help shippers choose optimal routes and transport modes and reduce environmental impact.
Source: The Economist – AI models are helping dirty industries go green
9. Sector: Climate Adaptation – Infrastructure Resilience
Country/Region: Global (notably active in the U.S.)
AiDash is enhancing the resilience of critical infrastructure—such as power lines, pipelines, and water systems—against climate-related risks such as wildfires and storms. By integrating satellite imagery with AI, their platform enables utilities to monitor assets remotely, predict potential failures, and implement preventative measures. This proactive approach has significantly reduced vegetation management costs and improved grid reliability.
Source: BloombergNEF – 2025 Pioneers Award Winners
10. Sector: Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation
Country/Region: Kyrgyzstan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tracking endangered species like snow leopards and elephants is time-consuming and data-heavy. AI and deep learning now analyze thousands of image pixels to identify and monitor wildlife, helping scientists focus on higher-value research. In Congo, AI also supports anti-poaching efforts and the fight against illegal ivory trade.
Source: Microsoft – AI for Earth: Helping Save the Planet with Data Science
After diving into these stories, I feel more hopeful and challenged. Hopeful because people are out there using AI in smart, thoughtful ways to solve hard environmental problems. Challenged because I want to understand these technologies more deeply and figure out how we can implement them in the region.
I’m sharing these examples not as a checklist but as inspiration. Hopefully, they will spark an idea, a conversation, or even a new project. And if they do—count me in!
A bientôt
