Leveraging AI for Climate Action: Building a Wiser Civilisation

At the Climate Governance India Summit 2025, Dr. Shailesh Haribhakti delivered a powerful call to action on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) — or, as he prefers, Augmented Intelligence — can redefine the way humanity responds to the climate crisis.

⁠“For the first time, humankind possesses the computational power to see the planet as one living, breathing organism — to sense its pain and to design its healing in real time.”

Dr. Haribhakti emphasized that AI is not merely a tool of convenience but the “nervous system of the Anthropocene.” From predicting droughts and optimising energy systems to validating carbon offsets and ensuring ESG transparency, AI is transforming climate resilience from aspiration to action.

Yet, he cautioned that technology is not neutral. The challenge now lies in AI governance — ensuring that the intelligence we unleash remains accountable to human values. He called on corporate boards and fiduciaries to adopt Algorithmic Responsibility and AI Assurance Frameworks that measure not only emissions and cybersecurity but also bias, explainability, and ethical risk.

His vision for a Global Climate Intelligence Compact — where nations share data, models, and analytics as public goods — offers a bold framework for equitable digital climate solutions.

“Climate change is the ultimate exam of our collective intelligence. AI gives us the tools to pass that test — but only if we use them wisely, inclusively, and compassionately.”

As Dr. Haribhakti concluded, this decade must be the one where intelligence truly serves the planet — aligning profitability with purpose, innovation with integrity, and data with empathy.

Read the full script here.