AI-Powered Maps Are Enabling Better Decision Making in the Face of Climate Change Uncertainty

Maps are emerging as a vital tool for decision-making in the face of climate change uncertainty. Modern digital maps, fueled by GIS and AI, are helping people make informed choices about travel, personal carbon emissions reduction, and navigating extreme weather events.

Key benefits of GIS maps: Maps are powerful because they use location to index data, allowing simultaneous consideration of various factors like the earth, atmosphere, people, politics, economics, and health:

• GIS maps played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, with tools like the Johns Hopkins University dashboard helping individuals and policymakers make informed decisions.
• Maps can predict future patterns like biodiversity loss, species migration due to climate change, and communities at risk from sea-level rise.

AI-powered maps for designing desired futures: The next phase of AI-infused maps will help people design desired futures by mapping the impact of possible decisions before changes are implemented:

• Initiatives like 30×30, which aims to protect 30% of Earth’s lands and oceans by 2030, use GIS to consider the consequences and tradeoffs of conserving different locations.
• While maps don’t have all the answers, they can guide action, optimize solutions, and identify knowledge gaps to improve decision-making.

Everyday applications: People can use maps to make personal decisions related to climate change and beyond:

• BikeMaps.org helps users select safe biking routes.
• A growing number of EV charging maps make planning electric transportation easier.
• Maps can potentially assist with a wide range of decisions people are grappling with.

Broader implications: As society grapples with the impacts of climate change, GIS and AI-powered maps will increasingly become indispensable tools for individuals and policymakers to make complex decisions amid uncertainty. While maps may not provide all the answers, they offer a powerful means to understand the implications of our choices and guide us towards more sustainable and resilient futures.