11-22 Nov 2024, Baku: The UNIDO delegation and the Global Alliance on AI for Industry and Manufacturing participated in the 29th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, organizing a series of thematic sessions that explored strategies and opportunities stemming from the urgent need for collaborative efforts to align digital transformation with climate resilience initiatives. Through high-level roundtables, technical panels, and thematic side-events, UNIDO-led sessions addressed critical topics, including the integration of digital technologies for climate action, application of artificial intelligence to ensure energy efficient industrialisation, sustainable urban growth, and ecosystem restoration. These discussions brought together high-level UN and national government officials, policymakers, industry and technology experts to exchange insights, showcase successful initiatives and propose actionable solutions for tackling environmental challenges by leveraging frontier technologies.
Launch of the Declaration on Green Digital Action (16 Nov 2024)
The Green Digital Action Roundtable launched the Declaration on Green Digital Action, emphasizing the integration of digital technologies into global climate strategies while addressing digitalization’s environmental impacts. Keynote speakers, including H.E. Mr. Rashad Nabiyev of Azerbaijan, H.E. Ms. Doreen Bogdan Martin of ITU, and H.E. Ms. Nigar Arpadarai of COP29, called for unified, ambitious efforts to align digital transformation with climate resilience. Moderated by Mr. Tomas Lamanauskas, ITU Deputy Secretary-General, the event featured high-level representatives from 15 countries, 10 UN organizations, and 12 leading companies like Huawei, Google, and Mastercard. Discussions focused on leveraging digital tools to reduce emissions and enhance resource efficiency. Mr. Ciyong Zou, Deputy Director General and Managing Director of UNIDO’s Directorate for Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development, highlighted global partnerships and initiatives supporting green ICT standards and climate-positive digitalization, announcing UNIDO’s endorsement of the Declaration. The Declaration has already secured over 1,000 endorsements from 100+ countries, showcasing a strong global commitment to sustainable digital transformation.
UNIDO’s AIM Global Green AI Index: Pioneering Green AI for a Sustainable Future (16 Nov 2024)
The AIM Green Session at the UNIDO Pavilion introduced the AIM Global Green AI Index, developed by UNIDO with the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), as a global benchmark to measure AI’s environmental impact and promote sustainability. Mr. Ciyong Zou, Deputy Director General and Managing Director of UNIDO’s Directorate for Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development, highlighted the urgency of energy-efficient AI, while Liu Hao from BIT detailed the index’s metrics for energy and carbon emissions, emphasizing transparency and independent audits. Nokia shared insights on their ENVIAA framework for evaluating AI systems’ environmental effects. Moderated by Ashraf Abushady, the panel—including experts from UNIDO, BIT, Nokia, and ITU—discussed AI energy challenges and the importance of collaborative frameworks like AIM Green and ENVIAA. UNIDO announced plans to elevate the AIM Green Index to an international standard, driving sustainable AI practices across the industry. The session closed with a call for global cooperation to mitigate AI’s environmental impact.
Closing the Loop: Transforming AI into a Green Force (16 Nov 2024)
The Session explored transforming AI into a sustainable force by addressing its environmental impact and advancing energy-efficient solutions. Opening remarks by Seizo Onoe, ITU Director of Standards and Ms. Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO Assistant Director-General emphasized responsible AI development and global cooperation. Moderated by Thomas Basikolo from ITU, the session featured experts from UNIDO, GeSI, Google, Cisco, OptiCloud, and the World Bank, highlighting successful ICT energy reduction use cases while addressing gaps between strategy and implementation. Contributions from Cisco’s Mary de Wysocki and Google’s Adam Elman underscored practical sustainability measures. Representing UNIDO, Mr. Ashraf Abushady advocated for energy ratings for IT hardware and emphasized initiatives like AIM Global and AIM Green to accelerate green AI adoption. The session concluded with a call to action for transparent reporting and collective efforts to reduce AI’s carbon footprint, reinforcing a global commitment to sustainable AI practices.
COP29 Water Day: Digital Solutions for Reclaiming Lost Waters (19 Nov 2024)
The discussion on applying geoinformation systems (GIS) and artificial intelligence (AI) for alleviating environmental problems in the Aral Sea region brought together a group of experts from environmental science, technology, and policy, who discussed the innovative applications of such technologies for monitoring environmental parameters, combating desertification, advancing afforestation, and restoring natural ecosystems. A key focus of the discussion was the utilization of these technologies to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change and advance efforts to restore human-degraded ecosystems in the Aral Sea region. A regional perspective on this major issue, affecting countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan, was also presented, highlighting its broader environmental implications spanning across Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Ms. Sevara Sadikova, from the National Center for Climate Change under the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, highlighted the national government’s efforts to afforest the Aral Sea bed, promoting desalination and the gradual restoration of the natural ecosystem. UNIDO’s experts from the Division of Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence explored the integration of smart and precision technologies to optimize afforestation efforts in the Aral Sea bed, ensuring their long-term sustainability. By analyzing detailed data on soil composition, climate patterns, and vegetation health, practitioners can make informed decisions about tree species selection, plant density, and irrigation management.
Smart Cities for a Resilient Tomorrow: Integrating Technology for Sustainable Urban Growth (20 Nov 2024)
The “Smart Cities for a Resilient Tomorrow” session explored integrating smart technologies such as IoT, AI, and big data into urban planning to address challenges posed by rapid urbanization and environmental pressures. Experts and stakeholders discussed how these technologies enhance sustainability, resource efficiency, and resilience to climate-related events while improving urban infrastructure and quality of life. Featuring panelists from international organizations and urban development initiatives, the session shared successful case studies, addressed barriers to technology adoption, and emphasized data-driven decision-making for sustainable urban growth. Panelists included Dr. Emna BCHIR (International Architect Union), Ms. Alexia CUJUS (UNIDO), Mr. Altug TASDEMİR (ILBANK, Türkiye), Mr. Gaetan Siew (Port Louis Development Initiative), and Mr. Aidar Yessembayev (International Green Technologies and Investments Center, Kazakhstan). Moderated by Pr. Adel Ben Youssef (University Côte d’Azur), with opening remarks by UNIDO’s Farrukh Alimdjanov, the session concluded with actionable recommendations and a call for continued innovation and collaboration to create smarter, more resilient cities.
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Global Alliance on AI for Industry and Manufacturing, aim-global@unido.org
