Responsible AI can help science tackle the planetary crises

A new international report argues Artificial intelligence (AI) can help accelerate science and research about climate change, biodiversity loss, and other urgent crises related to planetary boundaries. Responsible use of AI for sustainability research and governance is an opportunity the world cannot afford to miss, the report concludes.

"AI for Biodiversity" by Nidia Dias & Google DeepMind via betterimagesofai.org. (CC-BY 4.0).

The report AI for a Planet Under Pressure, released 5 November, explores how AI can be responsibly harnessed to accelerate progress in governance and sustainability science. Produced by Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC), Stockholm University and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), the report brings together insights from more than 30 experts worldwide, and analyses of 8,500 scientific articles. It outlines both the vast potential and the ethical considerations when applying AI to sustainability research and decision-making.

Victor Galaz Foto: SRC

“Our question was whether AI can help strengthen science and support decision-makers in navigating the intertwined crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality,” says Victor Galaz, Associate Professor at SRC and the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, lead editor of the report. “Our results show clearly that AI holds vast potential to advance science for action, but that potential will only be realized if researchers, policymakers, companies, and funders work together to ensure AI is used responsibly, fairly, and with a clear purpose.”

Systematic analysis of 8,500 studies

The report draws on a systematic review of 8,500 scientific publications and deep expert analyses across eight sustainability themes, including preparing for future shocks, understanding climate change and other complex Earth systems, prospering urban areas, stewarding oceans, and securing freshwater for all. It shows how AI can uncover hidden patterns in environmental data, model risks more accurately, and support better collective decisions.

Drew Purves, Nature Lead at Google DeepMind, who contributed to two of the report’s chapters, notes: “AI has enormous potential to advance sustainability science. Realizing that potential requires deep partnerships across disciplines and across sectors.”

The report notes that AI’s environmental footprint, potential data biases, and unequal access to computational power needs attention. Addressing these challenges, they argue, requires governance frameworks, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical standards that put people and planet first.

“AI will not solve sustainability challenges on its own,” says Maria Schewenius, co-editor and PhD candidate at SRC and the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics. “But it can help us better understand complex systems, anticipate risks, and support decisions that safeguard both people and our living planet.”

The report concludes that, responsible uses of AI for sustainability research are possible, and an opportunity the world cannot afford to miss. Breakthroughs in sustainability research driven by AI are not only within reach, they can also be essential for our collective future. The responsibility now lies with sustainability researchers, companies, technology entrepreneurs, funders, and decision-makers to shape AI development alongside human insight, guiding society toward better decisions for a safer, fairer, and more resilient planet.

Explore the full report AI for a Planet Under Pressure
Read article on the SRC web

Key insights and recommendations from AI for a Planet Under Pressure:

• AI offers vast potential to accelerate progress in research about sustainability, sharpening decision-making and clarifying complex environmental challenges.
• Current AI research in the climate and sustainability areas does not focus on the most vulnerable regions and communities in the world.
• Realizing the potential of AI for sustainability requires directed investments, and tackling AI’s environmental footprint, inherent biases, and unequal access to ensure its development and use are responsible and equitable.
• Investments in AI for Sustainability Science should focus on energy-efficient, equitable, and transparent uses of AI that links science to real-world action, in close partnership with communities and others affected by the repercussions of climate change and other planetary pressures.

Theme

Last updated: November 6, 2025

Source: Communications Office

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