Harnessing AI for Biodiversity

As a Senior Account Executive in the Onshore team at NatureMetrics, I recently had the privilege of participating in a panel discussion about the AI Ecopreneur Revolution at London Climate Action Week 2024. The experience was enlightening, and I'd like to share some key insights about our work at NatureMetrics, particularly focusing on how we're leveraging artificial intelligence to address the global biodiversity crisis.

The Biodiversity Data Challenge

For the past decade, NatureMetrics has been at the forefront of solving what we call the "big biodiversity data problem." Traditional species surveys, while valuable, often fall short in providing a comprehensive understanding of our ecosystems. As we face unprecedented environmental challenges, the need for more accurate, complete, and timely biodiversity data has never been more critical.

Our solution? Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology.

Think of it as CSI for nature. Every living organism, from the tiniest bacteria to the largest whales, leaves behind DNA traces in their environment. By collecting and analysing these genetic clues, we can paint a much more detailed picture of biodiversity in a given area for a fraction of the effort of traditional surveying methods.

Anyone can collect a sample from water, soil, or even air using a simple filter. These samples are then sent to our lab, where we extract the DNA, amplify it, and sequence it. The result is a comprehensive list of species present in the sampled environment, along with simple, actionable biodiversity metrics that are crucial for corporate disclosures under frameworks like TNFD and CSRD, as well as emerging biodiversity crediting methodologies.

Enter Artificial Intelligence

As NatureMetrics has grown, so too has the scale of our projects. We now work with clients whose operations span millions of hectares. While eDNA sampling is quick and easy, achieving complete coverage at this scale would be both practically and financially unfeasible. This is where AI comes into play.

We're integrating AI into a number of products across our portfolio of solutions. These tools combine remote sensing data with strategically collected ground-truthed eDNA samples. By identifying patterns between species occurrence and various environmental variables, we can extrapolate biodiversity data across vast areas.

For instance, we've been working with large mining clients to help them plan their operations more efficiently. Our AI-powered tools allow them to minimize damage to areas of high biodiversity value and avoid disturbing habitats where rare or threatened species are likely to occur.

Perhaps most excitingly, as satellite data is refreshed every few days, we're moving towards developing near-real-time species occupancy models. This capability could revolutionize how we monitor and respond to biodiversity risks, whether they stem from natural disasters like wildfires or human activities such as illegal mining or logging.

Challenges and Opportunities

While the potential of AI in biodiversity monitoring is immense, we face several challenges:

1. Complexity: Unlike carbon emissions, where a tonne of CO2 equivalent is the same globally, biodiversity varies dramatically from one location to another. Millions of species interact with each other and their environment in unique ways. Developing models that can comprehend even a fraction of these interactions is a monumental task.
2. Balancing Simplicity and Complexity: We strive to create models that are both sophisticated enough to capture ecological intricacies and simple enough to be understood and used consistently for reporting and monitoring.‍
3. Data Sensitivity: As we generate high-resolution data, we must be cautious about how we share it. Detailed maps showing the likely locations of endangered species, for instance, could potentially be misused.‍
4. Data Scarcity: Perhaps our most pressing challenge is the lack of sufficient ground-truthed data at a global scale. While we're making strides, we're still a long way from our ultimate goal: a complete digital twin of the living planet across all ecosystem types.

Despite these challenges, the opportunities on the horizon are tremendously exciting. Over the next five years, I anticipate several key developments:

1. ‍Convergence of Climate and Nature: The currently semi-siloed camps of climate action and biodiversity conservation will increasingly converge around the shared goal of holistic, equitable healing of Earth's systems.‍
2. AI-Driven Financial Decisions: Banks and insurers will increasingly use AI to de-risk their investments, steering capital away from unsustainable practices and towards nature-positive activities that better guarantee a financial return on the long term.‍
3. Optimized Land Use: AI will play a crucial role in sustainable intensification, helping us more efficiently plan land use for human habitation and food production while maximizing areas for nature recovery.‍
4. Accelerated Progress Towards 2030 Goals: As we approach 2030, AI has the potential to be instrumental in helping us achieve critical targets like halting biodiversity loss, protecting 30% of land and sea, and delivering biodiversity net gain in key industries.

A Revolution of Hope

If I had to sum up the AI Ecopreneur Revolution in one word, it would be "hope." The green tech industry is fiercely competitive, but it's also filled with passionate, motivated individuals genuinely committed to meaningful action. This gives me great optimism for the future.

At NatureMetrics, we're proud to be at the forefront of this revolution, combining cutting-edge eDNA technology with the power of AI to drive positive change for our planet. While the challenges are substantial, the potential rewards – a healthier, more biodiverse world – are immeasurable.

As we continue this journey, we invite you to join us. Whether you're a business leader looking to understand your biodiversity impacts, a conservationist seeking more comprehensive data, or simply an individual passionate about protecting our natural world, there's a role for you in this revolution of hope.

Together, leveraging the power of AI and armed with accurate, comprehensive biodiversity data, we can work towards a future where human activities not only minimize harm to nature but actively contribute to its restoration and flourishing. The boots-on-the-ground work of environmental scientists isn't over – far from it. However, with AI as our ally, we're better equipped than ever to face the biodiversity challenges of the 21st century.

A huge thank you to Evan Paul, Tim Christopherson, Julie Moorad and the rest of the team at SalesForce for hosting the brilliant Climate & AI Summit that this panel was a part of.