CivicSabha 2.0 - Data & AI for Planet - Strengthening Climate Resilience and Sustainability

Climate change is increasingly affecting sectors such as agriculture, public health, energy, and urban systems, posing significant risks to vulnerable populations and frontline communities. At the same time, the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how data is generated and used, offering new opportunities for climate resilience while raising concerns around environmental impact and governance.

The plenary discussion "Data & AI for Planet", as part of CivicSabha 2.0 hosted by CivicDataLab (CDL), brought together global experts to explore how data and responsible AI can support sustainable development and address pressing planetary challenges. The session, moderated by Meekha Hannah Paul (GIZ India), featured speakers including Neeraj Jain (PATH), Ashish Chaturvedi (UNDP India), Muntasir Hashim (Lloyd's Register Foundation), Claude Flamand (Institut Pasteur du Cambodge), and Soumya Garnaik (Global Green Growth Institute).

Speakers highlighted the role of AI in enabling environmental stewardship, strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration, and balancing development priorities with ecological sustainability. The discussion also underscored key challenges, including climate-related health risks, reliance on fossil fuels during energy transitions, concerns around AI-linked environmental impacts, and gaps in integrated data systems—pointing to the need for responsible, collaborative, and future-focused solutions.