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Jena is researching AI to combat climate catastrophes: New project started!
Researchers in Jena use AI to predict extreme climatic events. Project receives 6 million euros in funding.
Jena is researching AI to combat climate catastrophes: New project started!
Innovative approaches to combating the climate crisis are being increasingly promoted in Germany. In Jena, researchers at the Friedrich Schiller University have launched a project that deals with hydro-climatic extreme events such as floods, droughts and landslides. The aim of this project is to predict more precisely the dangers that will increase due to climate change. To this end, artificial intelligence (AI) is used to predict landslide risks, taking into account changes in land use and environmental conditions.
This project is to be supported with a generous funding budget totaling 6 million euros. The coordination is in the hands of Professor Alexander Brenning, who leads the team in Jena. The interesting thing about this AI model is that it is not only based on historical data, but also takes into account changing framework conditions and mechanisms of action.
Extension of research to flood forecasting
At the same time, another innovative AI model is being worked on at the Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning in Bonn. The system, called RiverMamba, is being developed to more accurately predict river flows and flood risks. This research, led by Professor Dr. Jürgen Gall and is carried out in cooperation with the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and the Forschungszentrum Jülich, aims to strengthen the area of climate adaptation and risk prevention. Within this project, a variety of data on precipitation, temperatures and soil moisture are continuously evaluated.
The new AI model shows special skills by recognizing patterns that are crucial for the development of floods. RiverMamba combines the advantages of physical model-based systems such as GloFAS with local, learning-based models such as Google's Flood Hub. This enables reliable predictions, even if measurement series are incomplete or partially missing. The results of this valuable research will be presented on December 4th at the NeurIPS conference in San Diego and show how interdisciplinary approaches can be fruitful in AI research.
Related research projects
The project in Jena and the developments at the Lamarr Institute are part of a broader project to investigate climate impacts. The Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau will also receive 6 million euros for its AI4ChemRisk project, which sheds light on the risks caused by chemical pollution in freshwater ecosystems. In addition, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology will also be funded with 6 million euros to research the complex connections between global and local effects of climate change.
These diverse projects are an important part of the big puzzle in the fight against the consequences of the climate crisis. Combining AI with classic climate research promises not only new insights, but also practical solutions to reduce risks. It remains to be hoped that the researchers' work will soon deliver tangible results that will lead us onto a sustainable path into the future.