While 2020 was all about fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 may see a renewed focus on another big challenge, namely climate change.
Ironically, the pandemic has triggered much needed climate-friendly actions. Businesses have increased their utilisation of digital tools, reducing the need for workers to commute and travel.
“We believe governments will use the momentum of 2020 to pave the way for a green recovery in 2021 in the wake of the pandemic’s destructiveness. Digital technologies will play a major role in contributing to effective solutions for other energy-intensive sectors, influencing consumer and producer behaviour. A World Economic Forum study highlights that digital technology can cut global emissions by 15 percent, and we expect to see several emission cuts happen already in 2021,” predicts Sandberg.
Not only will we see climate laws come into action, but AI will also, on a greater scale than ever before, enable smart energy solutions. In cities all over the globe, AI will be implemented to optimise energy consumption in data centres or mobile base stations. It will help make renewable energy, such as wind power, more predictable, and ‘smarten’ up cities by optimising transport and predicting air quality. We will also see the first signs of AI-powered micro IoT devices, called Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML), start operating. TinyML represents the next AI revolution. In 2021, we expect to see a fleet of ultra-small and ultra-low powered drones take to the sky to expand drone monitoring of climate-exposed areas – done on a scale greater than previously thought possible.
Outside the cities, new autonomous modular robots will work in the fields, supporting farmers struggling to find enough agricultural workers. Mechanical weeding with machine vision will streamline the use of pesticides, thus contributing to reducing the environmental impact of agriculture. The new robots will also be considerably smaller and lighter compared to their predecessors, reducing the energy consumption and the soil compaction impact.
“After Covid-19, one of our biggest challenges will again be the climate crisis. Positively, governments, and the EU in particular, are thinking green when allocating funds for recovery. Expect to see a boom in green tech and an increasing focus on energy efficiency,” adds Sandberg.
We’ve also forecasted the post-pandemic era. Do you agree with our researchers?
Wakati 2020 ilikuwa juu ya kupambana na janga la COVID-19, 2021 inaweza kuona mwelekeo mpya kwenye changamoto nyingine kubwa, yaani mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa. Kwa kushangaza, janga hilo limesababisha hatua zinazohitajika sana za kuhifadhi hali ya hewa. Biashara zimeongeza matumizi yao ya zana za dijiti, kupunguza haja ya wafanyakazi kusafiri na kusafiri. """Tunaamini serikali zitatumia kasi ya 2020 kuandaa njia ya kupona kijani katika 2021 kufuatia uharibifu wa janga hilo." Teknolojia za dijiti zitacheza jukumu kubwa katika kuchangia suluhisho bora kwa sekta nyingine za nishati, kuathiri tabia ya watumiaji na wazalishaji. "Tathmini ya Jukwaa la Uchumi la Dunia ilionyesha kuwa teknolojia ya dijiti inaweza kupunguza uzalishaji wa gesi ya kaboni kwa asilimia 15 na tunatarajia kuona kupunguzwa kwa uzalishaji kadhaa kutokea tayari mnamo 2021,"" anasema Sandberg." "Hatuoni tu sheria za hali ya hewa zikianza kutekelezwa, lakini AI pia itawezesha, kwa kiwango kikubwa kuliko hapo awali, suluhisho la nishati ya akili. """ Katika miji kote duniani, AI itatekelezwa ili kuboresha matumizi ya nishati katika vituo vya data au vituo vya msingi vya rununu. Itasaidia kufanya nishati mbadala, kama vile nishati ya upepo, zaidi ya kutabirika, na "smart" juu ya miji kwa optimizing usafiri na kutabiri ubora wa hewa. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, teknolojia ya AI ya ""Tiny Machine Learning"" (TML) inaonekana kuwa na uwezo wa kuendesha vifaa vya IoT." TinyML inawakilisha mapinduzi ya AI ijayo. Katika 2021, tunatarajia kuona meli ndogo sana na ndogo sana za nguvu za chini zikichukua anga ili kupanua ufuatiliaji wa drone wa maeneo yaliyoathiriwa na hali ya hewa - kufanywa kwa kiwango kikubwa kuliko ilivyodhaniwa hapo awali. Nje ya miji, roboti mpya za kujitegemea za moduli zitafanya kazi mashambani, zikiunga mkono wakulima wanaojitahidi kupata wafanyakazi wa kutosha wa kilimo. Uondoaji wa magugu kwa kutumia uwezo wa kuona kwa mashine utawezesha matumizi ya dawa za kuua wadudu, na hivyo kuchangia kupunguza athari za kilimo kwa mazingira. Roboti mpya pia itakuwa ndogo na nyepesi ikilinganishwa na watangulizi wao, kupunguza matumizi ya nishati na athari ya ufumbuzi wa udongo. "Baada ya COVID-19, moja ya changamoto zetu kubwa tena itakuwa mgogoro wa hali ya hewa. """ Serikali, na EU hasa, zinafikiria kijani wakati wa kugawa fedha kwa ajili ya uokoaji. Kutarajia kuona boom katika teknolojia ya kijani na kuongezeka kwa kuzingatia ufanisi wa nishati, <unk> anaongeza Sandberg. Pia tumetabiri enzi ya baada ya janga hilo. Je, unakubaliana na watafiti wetu?