Can AI save nature, or will it cause more harm?
From EY Sustainability Matters by EY
March 17, 2026 · 17 min · Season 7 · Episode 7
About this episode
This episode explores the complex relationship between AI and nature, debating whether technology can help solve the nature loss crisis or exacerbate it.
In this episode of EY Sustainability Matters, David Rae, EY Global Lead for Technology, AI and Innovation at EY Climate Change and Sustainability Services, explores the complex intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and nature. The host poses the question: Can technology solve the nature loss crisis, or will its resource-heavy footprint only accelerate the problem? Hear industry voices and activists debate whether AI is a necessary tool for nature's survival and offer holistic views on the risks and opportunities ahead, drawing on a hypothetical debate from The EY AI x Sustainability Exchange: from big questions to real solutions, where activists were asked to take opposing sides of the argument. Gilad Goren of the Nature Tech Collective argues that reversing nature loss is impossible without AI, which is essential for de-risking private sector investment and closing the nature finance gap. We also hear how companies, such as SAP, IBM, Treefera and others, are leveraging real-time data to track deforestation and optimize crop yields in hard-to-abate sectors. Conversely, activists Livia Pagoto and Fred Werner highlight the "shadow effect" — the skyrocketing energy and water…
People in this episode
Host: David Rae
Guests: Gilad Goren, Livia Pagoto, Fred Werner
Topics covered
- AI and nature
- sustainability
- technology impact
- nature loss crisis
- ethical governance
- data centers
Keywords
- artificial intelligence
- nature protection
- deforestation
- biodiversity
- resource demands
- environmental ethics
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: EY, Nature Tech Collective, SAP, IBM, Treefera
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