AI and satellites fight climate change and restore rainforests

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🗞️ Driving the news: Costa Rica and other Latin American regions are employing artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite imagery to combat deforestation, a major issue threatening their rich biodiversity and contributing significantly to CO2 emissions
• In 2022, Costa Rica lost approximately 5 square miles of natural forests, equating to 4.5 million tons of CO2 emissions

🔭 The context: AI and satellites provide critical data on forest carbon content and deforestation levels, aiding in the precise measurement of environmental impacts from conservation and reforestation projects
• This technological approach facilitates the securing of necessary financing for deforestation prevention and regeneration efforts

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The integration of technology in environmental conservation is pivotal for tracking and responding to deforestation threats 
• It not only helps in preserving the biodiversity of tropical forests but also in achieving climate, biodiversity, and social impact goals through nature conservation and restoration

⏭️ What's next: Companies and governments are increasingly relying on these advanced technologies to predict and detect deforestation, measure carbon stocks, and monitor conservation efforts 
• This innovation enables access to climate finance and supports the global fight against climate change, with significant reductions in deforestation rates already observed.

💬 One quote: "Technology has always been the reason we’ve been able to control deforestation," says Juliano Assunção, executive director of the Climate Policy Initiative.

📈 One stat: Despite efforts, the Amazon's deforestation rate equates to roughly 1,100 football fields a day, highlighting the ongoing battle against environmental degradation.

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