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Imagine checking the air quality in your neighbourhood as easily as checking the weather. Thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI), this is becoming a reality. No longer a concept from science fiction, AI is now a vital tool in the global fight against pollution and climate change.
According to the Associated Press (Oct 2025), soon people will track soot pollution as easily as tracking storms. A leading example is Climate TRACE, founded by former US Vice President Al Gore. It now uses 300 satellites, 30,000 ground sensors and AI to monitor 137,095 pollution sources, including nearly 4,000 major “super emitters”. This level of monitoring shows how AI is transforming environmental governance.
AI can process vast amounts of data faster than humans, detecting patterns and threats as they emerge. By analysing satellite images, river flow and soil data, AI identifies illegal logging, forecasts floods and helps farmers optimise water and fertiliser use. Communities and authorities gain critical time to act before crises escalate.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) also employs AI through the World Environment Situation Room (WESR) — a global dashboard for Earth’s health. WESR tracks temperatures, forest loss and pollution, converting complex data into actionable insights. This helps countries make evidence-based decisions and monitor progress on the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Technology companies are driving change as well. Google’s AI predicts floods, tracks wildfires and issues real-time alerts. Its Flood Forecasting Initiative improves evacuation planning, while AI wildfire detection identifies fires before they spread. Google Earth Engine allows scientists worldwide to monitor deforestation, glacier retreat and air quality, supporting governments and researchers in building climate resilience.
In Pakistan, AI is being applied locally to combat smog. In October 2025, the Punjab Government launched an AI-based system to forecast pollution up to four months ahead, including cross-border smog. Early warnings enable authorities to plan interventions, alert health services and regulate pollution efficiently.
Key measures include emission reduction targets for industry, transport and construction, enforced through AI monitoring; 41 advanced Air Quality Monitoring Stations (soon expanding to 100); and online systems linking industrial emissions for real-time compliance. Over 300,000 vehicle fitness tests have been completed, and the electric bus fleet continues to grow.
A centralised Smog War Room linked to the PITB dashboard coordinates rapid responses, using drones and smart surveillance to detect violations. Offenders face fines, FIRs or sealing of non-compliant units. The Environment Protection Force provides 24/7 monitoring, crop residue burning is banned and mobile hospitals serve high-smog areas. These steps mark a major shift toward proactive, technology-driven environmental governance in Punjab.
AI also strengthens disaster management. By analysing satellite, weather and social media data, it predicts hurricanes, wildfires, floods and other extreme events, enabling timely evacuations. Pakistan, facing floods, droughts and coastal erosion, could greatly benefit from AI in disaster management. Yet, as noted by Hafsa Azam, a researcher at the Centre for International Strategic Studies Sindh (Dec 2023), Pakistan’s National AI Policy still lacks comprehensive climate disaster measures — a gap that needs urgent attention.
Globally, AI gives humanity sharper eyes and a more powerful brain to understand our environment. It transforms passive concern into active management, helping track emissions, restore ecosystems and guide local farming practices.
Technology alone cannot solve the climate crisis, but paired with human commitment, AI offers a real chance to build a cleaner, safer and more resilient planet for future generations.
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