Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Climate Action: A Theoretical Framework for Sustainable Development

Abstract

Climate change poses an urgent and significant challenge, with far-reaching impacts already affecting our planet, and projections indicating worsening conditions in the future. The concept of sustainable development aims to meet present needs while safeguarding the ability of future generations to meet their own requirements. However, climate change's effects on sustainable development are of paramount concern, as they amplify issues like poverty, food insecurity, and environmental degradation, affecting economic growth, social progress, and environmental protection. Taking immediate action to mitigate climate change and implement sustainable practices is crucial to ensuring a habitable planet for future generations. In this context, Responsible Artificial Intelligence (RAI) emerges as a promising direction, striving for ethical and responsible technology use in diverse sustainable development tasks. RAI proves to be a robust candidate for empowering climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. This study introduces a theoretical RAI framework designed to support climate action by responsibly enabling more accurate predictions and analysis of climate data, enhancing energy efficiency, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The framework emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration among policymakers, scientists, and technicians to develop RAI solutions that advance sustainable development and alleviate the adverse impacts of climate change. Unlike previous works, this research presents a novel perspective on the principles of RAI that explicitly consider climate-related aspects. By laying the foundations of AI research to bolster our fight against climate change, this article establishes essential pillars that encourage further advancements in this critical endeavor.