Here's how NVIDIA and UNOSAT are tackling climate-disaster management with deep learning and AI

We all understand that climate change poses a risk to mankind. However, the main risk to a nation is not climate change itself, but rather the failure to act on it. In order to better allow nations to respond to climate change, NVIDIA and the UN Satellite Center (UNOSAT) have been collaborating on various fronts to prepare for the challenges ahead. In the area of responding to floods, both organizations have been utilizing their expertise in AI, Deep Learning and Earth imaging to assist nations to respond. Understanding that flood estimations could pose a challenge as such works need to be done remotely due to limitations in physical access, and that the deployment of instruments in disaster-stricken zones can be very dangerous, NVIDIA and UNOSAT has come to understanding that AI for earth observation is crucial. UNOSAT and NVIDIA are currently collaborating in these three areas (1) Research and Models - Both researchers from UNITAR and NVIDIA are using AI and Deep Learning techniques to build better models for advancing AI for Earth Observation. (2) Upskilling - Provision of Training Courses under NVIDIA's Deep Learning Institute to allows environmental and data scientist to stay up to date with the latest technologies and tools. This allows scientists and researchers to use GPU accelerated techniques, which reduces the time and increases the efficiency of flood detection. (3) Adaption and Deployment - Creation of Tools for Disaster prediction, detection and response. This helps governments and disaster management organizations to create plan-of-actions for potential flooding events.

The collaboration will support the UN and its Member States by using AI for Earth observation, an effort dubbed AI4EO, aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

  To learn more about the collaboration, you can read the byline here - UN Satellite Centre Works with NVIDIA to boost Sustainable Development Goals