AI and Geospatial Technologies for Climate Change Mitigation: Opportunities, Challenges, and Pathways to Sustainability

Climate change remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time, demanding innovative and data-driven solutions. This paper examines the potential of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) with geospatial technologies—collectively termed GeoAI—to support climate change mitigation and contribute to environmental sustainability. By leveraging AI’s analytical power and the spatial precision of geospatial data, Geospatial AI (GeoAI) enhances climate action efforts across sectors such as biodiversity conservation, urban planning, renewable energy, and resource management. This paper explores key applications, including real-time environmental monitoring, predictive climate modelling, and optimization of renewable energy deployment, underscoring how GeoAI can support United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). A systematic review of recent case studies illustrates successful applications of GeoAI in monitoring deforestation, managing urban air quality, and optimizing water resources. Additionally, we address the technical and ethical challenges associated with GeoAI deployment, such as data accessibility, model interpretability, and privacy concerns. Finally, we present recommendations for enhancing GeoAI’s scalability and accessibility, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and supporting sustainable climate action policies. This analysis demonstrates that with continued investment in infrastructure, ethical frameworks, and research, GeoAI holds substantial promise as a transformative tool in global climate change mitigation efforts.