Green Big Data: A Key Approach to Reducing Environmental Footprint

Montevideo, January 6, 2023.

Big Data provides organizations with the ability to analyze and understand their data more efficiently. Through this discipline, costs and time are reduced, new products and/or services are developed, more strategic decisions are made, new business opportunities are identified, and a positive contribution to the environment is achieved.

Data is fundamental for any organization, and it can be modeled or processed according to requirements. Big Data also contributes to reducing negative environmental impact through its approach called Green Big Data.

Green Big Data focuses on gathering valuable information that can be used to monitor, analyze, and address environmental problems and/or conflicts, such as global warming, illegal deforestation, water management, weather events, pollution levels, among others.

With the emergence of new technologies and analytical approaches, it is possible to improve the quality of life for people, the planet, and contribute to economic growth. In the following interview, Eng. Gilberto Mendoza, Services Coordinator at Sofis Solutions, shares the impact of Green Big Data on the environment and its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

How does Big Data contribute to environmental protection?

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development addresses social, economic, and environmental objectives and targets. Implementing these actions requires high-quality, up-to-date, and cost-effective information. Through Big Data, it is possible to identify repetitive patterns and valuable information that allows applying more effective and environmentally responsible solutions.

Why is Big Data so important and what types of solutions can it provide?

Having high-quality data is essential to monitor impacts and address environmental problems. Analyzing this data becomes crucial for understanding societal needs and for formulating evidence-based environmental policies.

Solutions are diverse and varied. Each natural resource or factor of environmental degradation can be analyzed, such as air quality, water management, agriculture, among others.

What Sustainable Development-related applications have been created using Big Data?

The United Nations (UN) has carried out the Global Pulse initiative, which uses Big Data analysis to support Sustainable Development.

Environmental Big Data analysis has multiple uses, including:

    • Use of Artificial Intelligence technologies or constructing air quality models to predict air quality 24–72 hours in advance.

    • Water management, such as detecting leaks in networks and enabling more efficient consumption through real-time data.

    • Detecting areas with high energy consumption.

    • Agriculture, improving field productivity through data collection processes, such as soil moisture percentage, among others.

What types of environmental risks can Big Data help detect?

Our society and environment face critical risks, with increasing noticeable reversible and irreversible damages. Decisions taken to improve these situations will shape the living conditions of future generations.

Some risks Big Data can help detect include:

    • Biodiversity loss and environmental degradation

    • Climate change

    • Lack of information for decision-making that truly benefits the environment

    • Planning that is not environmentally friendly

How does Big Data contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals?

Based on the premise that Big Data can generate knowledge from large volumes of data, it can be used to analyze the environmental impact of organizational operations and plan actions to reduce carbon footprint and other pollutants.

How is Big Data integrated into environmental sustainability?

The process of integrating Big Data into environmental sustainability varies by organization, depending on industry and size. Some key steps include:

    • Organizations must identify critical environmental impact points in their supply chain.

    • They must establish a framework of key decisions using advanced analytics to select the most appropriate and sustainable options.

    • Establish collaborative agreements with other stakeholders committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).