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Key Impact Points:
- Google leverages AI to help cities combat climate change and promote sustainability.
- Initiatives range from cooling urban heat islands to early wildfire detection and real-time wildfire information.
- Collaboration with governments and experts aims to build a sustainable future for the growing urban population.
Addressing Urban Heat Islands
By 2050, two out of three people will live in or around cities, making it crucial to tackle climate challenges in urban areas. Google is using AI to analyze satellite and aerial imagery to help cities identify and cool down “urban heat islands”—areas where structures absorb and re-emit heat. The Heat Resilience tool assists cities like Miami-Dade County in developing policies to mitigate heat through tree planting and the use of reflective surfaces.
Promoting Cool Roofs
Cool roofs reflect sunlight and absorb less heat, benefiting communities without reliable air conditioning. Google employs AI algorithms on aerial imagery to measure roof solar reflectivity. This data helps urban planners pinpoint areas that would most benefit from cool roofs. The City of Stockton, California, utilizes the Cool Roofs tool to identify opportunities to reduce urban heat islands.
Enhancing Urban Forestry
Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer incorporates AI to assess current tree coverage in cities, aiding in urban forestry initiatives. The City of Austin uses this tool to prioritize tree planting in vulnerable areas and to strategically place bus shelters for increased shade. American Forests expanded its Tree Equity Score tool using Google’s data, covering 80% of the U.S. population and extending into the U.K.
Optimizing Traffic Flow to Reduce Emissions
Road transportation significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, especially at congested intersections. Project Green Light uses AI to help city engineers optimize traffic signals, reducing emissions from idling vehicles. Since its pilot in 2021, the project has expanded to cities like Rio de Janeiro, Seattle, Bengaluru, and Boston.
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Offering Fuel-Efficient Routing
Google Maps employs AI to suggest fuel-efficient routes that consider factors like hills, traffic, and speed consistency. Between 2021 and 2023, this feature is estimated to have prevented over 2.4 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions—the equivalent of removing approximately 500,000 cars from the road for a year.
Mapping Global Buildings for Resource Allocation
Open Buildings, an AI-driven project, has mapped over one billion buildings worldwide, including hard-to-reach areas. This data is vital for providing essential resources like electricity and emergency services. Researchers have used the dataset to study urban adaptation to environmental disasters, such as post-tsunami reconstruction in Indonesia.
Early Wildfire Detection with FireSat
With wildfires becoming more common due to climate change, Google partners with wildfire authorities to launch FireSat—a global satellite system designed to detect wildfires as small as a classroom within 20 minutes. Using AI and high-resolution satellite imagery, FireSat enables earlier detection, allowing for quicker and more effective responses.
Providing Real-Time Wildfire Information
Complementing FireSat, Google uses AI to offer detailed wildfire boundary tracking in Search and Maps, along with location-based push notifications. Expanded to 15 countries across Europe and Africa, these maps deliver near real-time information on active fires, assisting firefighters and protecting biodiversity.
By harnessing AI and collaborating with governments, academics, and experts, Google aims to address immediate climate challenges and build a sustainable future for cities worldwide.