TECH & AI
“ There is a danger when it comes to actual implementation and decision – making because of information overload ”
DREW PURVES , SUSTAINABILITY & BIODIVERSITY CO – LEAD , GOOGLE DEEPMIND
“ Our inland water related projects include flood management and ground control . There ’ s always too much water or too little water on land – that ’ s a problem , so we ’ re focused on that ,” says Robert .
On the other end of the spectrum is Fugro ’ s deep sea work . A large part of the ocean is unmapped , so Fugro is working to explore and chart it .
“ And then in the middle is the coastal zone , which is technically the most complex area . There are big challenges in that space – it changes so fast because of the water and the sea level rising , but it also has the highest impact because 40 % of the population is living on the coastline .”
In practical terms , this informs deep sea cable positioning , which is crucially important for the development of AI .
“ A lot more cables are being laid , so you need to know where to lay it . If there ’ s an underwater mountain in the way - something that is thousands of metres high on the seafloor – you have an issue .”
What is the future for technology ’ s support of biodiversity ? Technology in sustainability is ever-developing as governments , companies , organisations and individuals work to become more sustainable , however necessary .
“ People are realising we can ’ t reduce environmental sustainability just to climate and carbon ,” Drew says .
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