The Chief Sustainability Officers (CSO) Network announced today the launch of the 'AI for Sustainability Hub' at the second Global Sustainability Forum held at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre, organised jointly with the New York Stock Exchange, part of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and ADNOC.

The Hub will provide a crucial venue for governments, the private sector and academia to collaborate on developing AI-based solutions to reduce emissions and enhance sustainability across sectors.

The announcement was among the highlights of the invitation-only event - themed 'AI for Climate and Nature' - which brought together senior government officials, C-suite executives, leading technology providers and private sector innovators to advance sustainable, technology-driven solutions for many pressing climate and environmental challenges.

Dr. Yasar Jarrar, Secretary-General, CSO Network and Managing Partner of the Posterity Institute, said, "The AI for Sustainability Hub will serve as a nexus for convening best practices, scaling effective solutions, and transforming innovative ideas from 'garage' concepts to commercially viable applications. By working closely with CSO Network members and regulators, we will harness cutting-edge AI technologies, such as advanced machine learning algorithms, predictive analytics, and real-time data processing. These tools will enable us to accurately forecast and mitigate environmental impacts, optimise resource use, and enhance efficiency in areas like industrial operations and energy management systems. Our collaboration with IBM and other technology partners ensures that we fully exploit AI's potential, from deep learning to natural language processing, to tackle the most pressing sustainability challenges of our time."

Other highlights of the Forum included the opening keynote panel on 'The Role of Advanced Technologies in Achieving Sustainability Goals', which featured distinguished guests of honor including Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan bin Khalid al Qasimi, UAE Executive Chairman of the Department of Government Relations and Seafood Souq co-founder and Chief Impact Officer. This high-level panel was followed by wide-ranging and insightful keynote fireside chat with Thoriq Ibrahim, Maldives' Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, titled 'Sustainability in Small Island States'.

Further panel discussions and fireside chats explored the transformative role of data in quantifying climate risk, while emphasising the importance of artificial intelligence (AI), SMEs and scalable Nature-Based Solutions in understanding and preserving nature and biodiversity.