While the first phase will focus on deforestation, IIASA plans
to use the model for other environmental concerns where
crowdsourcing would be applicable.
Deforestation of the Amazon and other forest habitats is a major
cause of climate change, as these rainforests are a key generator
of oxygen and a sponge to absorb carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere.
Tracking deforestation is a difficult process, especially in the
Amazon which spans 5.5 million km, roughly the size of Australia.
Satellite images are an excellent resource, providing researchers
with a tool to check real-time changes, but sifting through
thousands of images can be time-consuming.
Enter SAS, which has partnered with the International Institute
for Applied System Analysis (IIASA) to build an artificial
intelligence model to track deforestation at scale.
“The urgency required to address these transformations
requires the application of best of breed technology solutions,”
said IIASA Director General, Albert van Jaarsveld.
Originally published by:
David Curry, April 28, 2020
RT Insights