DST Climate Change Conclave: Advancing AI for Climate Modelling

The Climate Change Conclave served as a platform to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and drive innovative solutions to combat climate change challenges in India and beyond.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) recently organized a two-day Climate Change Conclave at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, from 27th to 28th May 2024. The event convened experts from across India to discuss the imperative of developing foundational models in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for climate modelling, enhancing data quality control, improving climate predictions, and fostering better interactions with communities for effective climate adaptation solutions.

Key Highlights and Insights:

1. Addressing Climate Change Challenges:

Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of DST, underscored the significant progress made through DST's missions, such as the National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC). He emphasized the need to prioritize the development of AI models tailored to the Indian context.The draft executive summary of the 'District Level Climate Risk Assessment for India' was released, highlighting the importance of indigenous climate models based on data for comprehensive climate change mitigation.

2. Evolution of Climate Change Programme:

Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Advisor at DST, delved into the inception and evolution of DST's Climate Change Programme. He discussed DST's interventions in the National Actions Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) and its role in fostering climate change science and adaptation R&D programs nationwide.

3. Urgency for Climate Solutions:

Dr. Anita Gupta, Head of Climate, Energy, and Sustainable Technology (CEST) at DST, stressed the urgency of climate change solutions, given the vulnerability of 40% of the world's population to its adverse effects. She highlighted DST's efforts through missions under NAPCC and its participation in global initiatives like Mission Innovation.

4. Innovative Mitigation Technologies:

Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director of IIT Delhi, showcased the Centre of Excellence on climate change modeling's efforts in developing innovative mitigation technologies. These include coal-to-methanol conversion, blue hydrogen production, and carbon capture and storage.5. Collaborative Efforts:

The conclave saw participation from climate change experts representing various institutions, including IIT Delhi, IIT Bhubaneshwar, Banaras Hindu University, University of Delhi, Kashmir University, IISc, University of Allahabad, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, India Meteorological Department, ICRISAT, and DST Centres of Excellence.

The Climate Change Conclave served as a platform to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and drive innovative solutions to combat climate change challenges in India and beyond. With concerted efforts from stakeholders across sectors, the path towards sustainable climate adaptation and mitigation strategies appears promising.