Climate change: What can you do to help?

Why focus on climate change?

Simply put, climate change has the potential to impact every living organism on the planet. It sounds extreme because it is. Exhaustive research has confirmed changing weather patterns, rapidly rising sea levels, and extreme weather events are proliferating around the world. Consider these statistics:

• By 2050, the global population will reach 9.8B people exerting further pressure on the earth's resources. 
• By the year 2100, global temperatures could increase 3-5 degrees Celsius (5.4-9.0 degrees Fahrenheit) according to the United Nations World Meteorological Organization's annual statement in 2018.

Why is this important?

This trend will not change without action. IBM believes that technology can help reverse these trends and help communities address the impact in tangible ways. As the founding partner of the Call for Code Global Initiative, IBM aims to take this a step further.

What's the problem?

The global climate crisis is inextricably linked to water. Higher temperatures and more extreme weather events are projected to affect the availability and distribution of rainfall, snowmelt, river flows, and groundwater, and further deteriorate water quality. Low-income communities, already the most vulnerable to any threats to water supply, are likely to be the worst affected.

Read the UN policy on climate change and water and understand how you can make a difference.

How can technology help?

Whether it's third-party open source projects or IBM Cloud services, technologies like data analytics, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and blockchain can help address global environmental challenges such as water quantity and quality. Using water more efficiently will reduce greenhouse gases from treatment systems. 

For example

What's the problem?

As the population grows, so does the demand for energy. Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas have exacted an enormous toll on the environment — from air and water pollution to climate change. By investing in solar, wind, and thermal power, improvements in energy productivity and expanding infrastructure is key to providing clean and more efficient energy.

How can technology help?

Technologies such as AI, IoT, and blockchain can help individuals, communities and utility companies harness their data to increase efficiency and reduce expenditures.

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What's the problem?

Natural disasters kill an estimated 90,000 people and affect close to 160 million people worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization. Severe weather events in particular have been increasing in frequency and intensity over the past decade and scientists believe climate change is a significant factor.

Read the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to see how we make our communities safer and more resilient to disasters.

How can technology help?

Technology can help our society better prepare for and respond to natural disasters. Specific use cases include reducing exposure to hazards, lessening vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improving preparedness and early warning for adverse weather events that are gaining in frequency through climate change.

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