That is the second instalment in our month-to-month sequence exploring how nicely giant language fashions (LLMs), akin to ChatGPT, can reply to urgent questions on local weather, power, and sustainability. Final month, we regarded on the carbon footprint of AI. This time, we’re asking: is local weather motion stalling — or nonetheless progressing?
You’ll be able to learn final month’s query concerning the carbon footprint of AI right here.
Anders Lorenzen (AL): From a world perspective, do you assume we’re shifting backwards or are we making progress on tackling local weather change?
ChatGPT response:
“That’s a vital and nuanced query — and the trustworthy reply is: each. Globally, the image is deeply blended, relying on the place you look and what indicators you prioritise. Let’s break it down a bit.”
ChatGPT went on to listing a number of examples that time to a blended image:
“Booming renewable power, the rise of electrical autos (EVs), and company shifts.”
And it additionally highlighted the place progress is missing:
“Failure to curb emissions, continued fossil gasoline subsidies, insufficient local weather finance for growing economies, and worsening local weather extremes.”
ChatGPT summarised:
“Technologically and socially: We’re shifting ahead — sooner than anticipated in some areas.”
“Ecologically and politically: In some ways, we’re shifting backwards or standing nonetheless.”
AL: Is what’s being reported by some media sources as a backlash on net-zero and ESG real? Is there actually a backlash?
ChatGPT response:
There’s a real backlash towards net-zero and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance requirements), however like most so-called “backlashes,” it’s not monolithic. It’s coming from completely different camps with very completely different agendas, and understanding who’s behind it — and why — is essential.
ChatGPT elaborated on the origins of this backlash:
“A mixture of narratives portraying net-zero and ESG as ‘woke,’ elitist, and anti-freedom. Sure US states are banning ESG investments, and the fossil gasoline business is creating tradition struggle speaking factors.”
It additionally described a coordinated pushback:
“There’s a concerted effort from the fossil gasoline foyer, the agribusiness sector, and components of the automotive business to shift the discourse.”
ChatGPT famous that whereas some criticism is legitimate, significantly when transitions aren’t designed equitably:
“This isn’t all the time misinformation — within the absence of honest coverage design, transitions can hit low-income teams hardest.”
ChatGPT: This isn’t the entire story
With out additional prompting, ChatGPT added extra context:
Most individuals nonetheless help local weather motion
Even within the US, ChatGPT highlighted, there’s sturdy help for local weather measures:
“Within the US, surveys present sturdy bipartisan help for renewables, clear air, and power effectivity.”
“In Europe, the backlash is loud, however it stays a minority view. Most main events help some type of local weather coverage.”
ChatGPT: ESG shouldn’t be going away
Whereas some media retailers recommend that firms are abandoning ESG and net-zero targets, due partly to political shifts like Donald Trump’s resurgence, ChatGPT provided a unique perspective:
“Some funding corporations are quietly backing away from the ESG label (BlackRock, for instance, now prefers phrases like ‘transition finance’), however they don’t seem to be dropping sustainability mandates altogether. Local weather danger is materials monetary danger — this isn’t going away.”
ChatGPT: A battle over the narrative
ChatGPT concluded by noting what’s actually at stake:
“We’re seeing a contest over the narrative — who controls the story of the transition. Is it certainly one of alternative, justice, and resilience? Or is it a risk to custom, price, and sovereignty?”
What ought to we make of this?
This proved to be a priceless train. ChatGPT delivered a extra nuanced and balanced evaluation of the state of local weather motion, net-zero, and ESG than many revered media retailers.
Notably putting was the perception that the backlash is basically a political, not a public, phenomenon. Whereas emissions and ecological indicators stay troubling, technological and social progress continues apace.
This month, we explored AI as a method of communication. Whereas its local weather footprint stays a priority, this month’s article demonstrates the way it also can facilitate extra specific and knowledgeable conversations.
In future instalments, we’ll check different angles — together with whether or not completely different LLMs supply completely different views on local weather.
You’ll be able to view the entire sequence right here:
Subsequent month’s AI query:
How do completely different LLMs deal with the identical local weather query?
This can check whether or not sure fashions present bias for or towards local weather motion.
Do you’ve gotten a local weather or sustainability-related query we must always ask ChatGPT or one other AI LLM mannequin?
Tell us within the feedback, by way of electronic mail or on social media.
Or fill within the kind beneath, and we could function your concept.
You’ll be able to take a look at the full sequence right here.
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