AI Offers Significant Potential for Climate Prediction

AI has extensive potential in the climate sector, and China should proactively develop new AI technologies and models in this field. That's one of the suggestions in the 2024 Green Book of Climate Change released at a seminar in Beijing on December 27, 2024.

The green book, or the Annual Report on Actions to Address Climate Change (2024): "Dual Carbon" Targets Driving Development of New Quality Productive Forces, was published by the Climate Change Economic Simulation Joint Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), as well as the Social Sciences Academic Press.

The report highlights that AI and traditional climate models are converging, resulting in rapid advancements in global AI-driven meteorological models, driven by an ever-increasing amount of observational data and research outputs.

According to it, AI has already demonstrated effective applications in the climate field and holds significant potential in combating climate change. The integration of AI with meteorological sciences is expected to provide robust technological support to enhance the accuracy of climate predictions and assessments.

Wang Changlin, vice president of CASS, called the global transition towards green and low-carbon development an irreversible trend. This green development philosophy, driven by the "carbon peaking and neutrality" targets, is continuously fueling the cultivation and growth of new quality productive forces.

He emphasized the need to establish comprehensive mechanisms for green low-carbon development, accelerate the green transformation of economic and social development, and promote innovative integration between natural and social sciences in response to national policy needs.

Chen Zhenlin, administrator of CMA, pointed out that global climate change has led to a rise in extreme weather events, posing severe threats to economic and social development as well as public safety. In November 2024, the World Meteorological Organization released a provisional statement on global climate conditions, indicating that the average global surface temperature reached a historic high in the first nine months of 2024, exceeding pre-industrial levels by 1.54°C.

The 2024 Green Book of Climate Change offers a detailed analysis of the new international and domestic challenges in addressing climate change. It showcases China's commitment to accelerating a comprehensive green transformation in its economy and society, aligned with the implementation of the "dual carbon" goals.

As competition between major countries in the green and low-carbon development sector intensifies, fulfilling the objectives of the Paris Agreement remains a daunting endeavor. The book underscores the urgent need to strengthen international cooperation in the face of severe climate challenges.

Source: Science and Technology Daily