Climate and data innovation needs to be powered in tandem: Google, Deloitte

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Eco-Business or enjoy below

🗞️ Driving the news: With an estimated 2.5 quintillion bytes of data produced daily, experts stress the underutilization of this vast resource, particularly in climate action
• Only 12% of city data is currently employed for policy-making, underscoring a significant opportunity for enhanced data-driven decision-making in environmental sustainability efforts

🔭 The context: Despite the data abundance, there's a disconnect in harnessing it for climate change solutions
• Challenges in cross-border data sharing, differing regulatory approaches among countries, and the digital-analogue divide in data are significant hurdles, as highlighted in a recent panel discussion at the "Unlocking capital for sustainability" event

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Effective data utilization goes beyond mere collection; it's about equity in access and turning insights into action
• With technology companies like Google emphasizing the importance of accessible data through platforms like Data Commons, there's a pressing need to resolve data localisation and privacy issues to facilitate cross-border data sharing, especially in APAC countries

⏭️ What's next: The push is for harmonizing data policies across jurisdictions, promoting strategic partnerships for interoperable data governance, and leveraging both digital and analogue data in climate action
• Emphasis is also placed on ensuring digital technology solutions contribute to decarbonisation and don't lead to net increases in emissions

💬 One quote: “We have the technology, we have the data and we have the information to solve climate change. It’s just putting it to use and figuring out the ‘how’” (Ben King, Google Singapore, APAC)

📈 One stat: Data centers and data transmission networks contributed about 330 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2020, accounting for approximately 0.6% of global greenhouse gas emissions

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