The Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers (NIEE), Oyo State Chapter, a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), has highlighted how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used in proffering solutions to problems created by climate change.
Speaking on the topic “Technology-Based Solutions for Rising Climate Challenges”, the guest speaker of the event and founder, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria (RAIN), Dr Olusola Ayoola stated that AI may be used to create models that forecast floods.
He was speaking on Tuesday during the 2024 public lecture, award presentation and annual general meeting of the NIEE Oyo State chapter, held at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The speaker proposed various solutions to address the growing challenges posed by climate change. These include the use of virtual reality, smart and sustainable work-life balance through remote work, paperless economies reduced by electronic systems, smart and sustainable waste management through the use of AI for flood prediction, smart and sustainable building designs, promotion of renewable energy sources like solar and hydro power plants, and more.
He said, “We all know that today the world is considering reducing greenhouse gases across all our activities. So every community must look inward to see what aspect of their activities can be improved on to reduce emissions.
“The NIEE organised this public lecture to tackle problems created by the climate change and as well plan for the future.
“Climate change can lead to problems such as insecurity, where herders and farmers clash because of the dwindling resources in the atmosphere.”
Speaking with journalists shortly after the event, the national chairman of NIEE, NureniOgunyemi, emphasized on the need to eliminate the use of non-degradable materials which pose environmental risks.
He lauded the Lagos State Government on the ban of styrofoams and single use plastics.
He said “In terms of a sustainable environment, let’s take an example from Lagos State, which a few weeks ago outlawed the use of single-use plastics and styrofoam. By doing this, the state hopes to protect its citizens from the hazards posed by non-degradable materials. This is a positive step forward.”
Ogunyemi, however, enjoined the Oyo State chapter of the institution to take it up and work together with the State Government to follow suit in a bid to achieve a sustainable environment in Oyo State.
Also speaking, chairman, NIEE, Oyo State Chapter, Dr AbdulWasiuAjagbe, said the theme of the programmecentred on how AI can be used to mitigate the impact of climate change.
He said “NIEE has shed light on how AI applications might assist to mitigate the effects of climate change. As everyone is aware, there are problems with climate change on a global scale that negatively impacts every element of existence. For this reason, artificial intelligence has become a useful tool in a variety of fields.”
He added that “We need to change our ways on how we relate with the environment, we need to take a look at how we use and dispose solid waste in a way to create a sustainable environment.”
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