As the effects of climate change become more apparent, there is an urgent need to find solutions that can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow the pace of global warming. One technology that is gaining attention in this effort is machine learning, which has the potential to help us understand and address some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet. One of the key ways that machine learning can help in the fight against climate change is by providing us with insights and predictions that can inform decision making and policy. For example, machine learning algorithms can be used to analyze data on global temperatures, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, and other environmental indicators, providing us with a better understanding of the current state of the planet and the likely impacts of different actions. Machine learning can also be used to optimize processes and systems in ways that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Young cows have learned to urinate in a dedicated "latrine" that whisks the waste away before it can pollute waterways or trigger the release of harmful gases. What's more, nitrous oxide that arises when livestock urine and faeces mix can cause respiratory problems and contribute to global warming. By training cattle to void directly into a sort of "cow toilet", however, Lindsay Matthews at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and his colleagues have potentially found a way to keep water and air cleaner, improving health and welfare for both humans and animals. Matthews's team taught 16 5-month-old Holstein heifers to use a custom-built, plastic-grass-floored latrine when they felt the need to urinate, using a three-step training process. First, the team placed pairs of calves in the latrine until they urinated; then gave them a treat – either diluted molasses or barley – through an automatic dispenser and opened the exit door.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) does more than make our technology smarter, it also protects the planet. Consider the work of researchers in the field of'Computational Sustainability' – a field of AI research making us better stewards of life on Earth. Despite being a relatively new research field, Computational Sustainability has already helped fight wildlife poaching, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, understand poverty, manage wildlife populations, and protect biodiversity. Each of these contributions address one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The collected progress of AI is addressing all SDGs, but I will highlight three specific cases.