At the AI4Good Global Summit 2024, held in Geneva on May 30th and 31st, ELLIS Unit Jena plays a multifaceted role, showcasing its commitment to advancing AI for environmental sustainability.

On May 31st, the ELLIS unit Jena directors Joachim Denzler (University of Jena) and Markus Reichstein (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry) will co-host the one-day workshop “Forecasting the Future: AI in Early Warning Systems”. This workshop features esteemed speakers including Giulia Martini (United Nations World Food Program, WFP), Shruti Nath (University of Oxford), Kai Kornhuber (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis), and  Vitus Benson (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, ETH Zurich). Topics covered span from geospatial vegetation forecasting to optimizing humanitarian aid supply chains and understanding extreme heatwave risks. Building on the success of last year’s AI4Global Summit ML workshop, this event continues the dialogue on AI’s pivotal role in addressing climate change and its impacts.

Additionally, Markus Reichstein will take the Centre Stage on Friday, May 31st, alongside Sage Lenier (Climate Activist) and Claire Monteleoni (University of Colorado Boulder). Together, they will address the critical imperative of leveraging AI for environmental protection. Lenier will underscore the importance of education in cultivating climate-conscious generations, while Markus Reichstein will highlight AI’s capacity to analyze Earth data for biosphere conservation. Monteleoni will emphasize the necessity of collaboration for effective climate action, collectively highlighting AI’s potential in tackling pressing environmental challenges and fostering a sustainable future.

Furthermore, the ELLIS unit Jena, in collaboration with ELLIS Central, will host a booth featuring visually engaging infographics, roll-ups, and posters. These materials will provide insights into the ELLIS network and showcase the groundbreaking research conducted by the ELLIS unit Jena. Through interactive displays and informative presentations, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the innovative contributions of ELLIS in the field of AI and its applications for environmental sustainability.

Program of the AI4Good Global Summit: https://aiforgood.itu.int/summit24/programme/