IBM and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced new interactive energy models on UNDP’s global GeoHub platform.
These innovative solutions use technologies such as the IBM Watson AI and data platform to allow users—from national and community policymakers to the general public—to analyze complex energy issues using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology and access a wide range of resources, thereby supporting data-driven decision-making toward a just energy transition.
GeoHub Platform
GeoHub is a centralized ecosystem of geospatial data and services that is a part of UNDP’s Data Futures Exchange (DFx). It offers a platform that makes it simple to upload, view, and analyze datasets by fusing satellite images with geographical and time-based data. When it comes to development concerns and integrated policymaking, GeoHub facilitates a detailed, localized, and evidence-based approach. This includes evaluating communities’ long-term vulnerability to the effects of climate change and deciding how subnational energy access is distributed.
“Bringing together UNDP’s knowledge and global leadership in sustainable development and IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI and hybrid cloud, we are proud to unveil solutions that demonstrate the power of technology to make a lasting, positive impact on our environment and in our communities,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM Vice President and Chief Impact Officer. “By making innovative models freely accessible to the public, we aim to empower leaders, organizations, and community members alike with the insights to make impactful energy decisions around the world.”
Under the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program, UNDP and IBM collaborated for two years. The project commenced with a cooperative effort via the IBM Garage and culminated with the addition of two novel models to UNDP’s GeoHub: the statistical geospatial model Clean Energy Equity Index and the AI model Electricity Access Forecasting. The models aimed to help countries achieve their clean energy and electricity access goals.
“UNDP’s innovative collaboration with IBM helps countries leverage development data and technology innovation to improve lives and protect the planet. The solutions we’ve co-created provide a credible evidence base to help countries make meaningful and practical progress towards a just energy transition. Net-zero investment and people-centered development strategies are fundamental to accelerating the SDGs,” said Laurel Patterson, Head of the UNDP SDG Integration Team, UNDP Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.
