Data can support immediate emissions reductions

Adam Sobey, Programme Director - Data-Centric Engineering, The Alan Turing Institute | 13 January 2025

There is an increasing immediacy in our discussion around climate change. Many experts expect that keeping global temperatures below +1.5°C is impossible^1,2, with evidence showing that there is a 1 in 10 chance of going over +2°C if we get to +1.6°C³. Many countries are already starting to see changes in agriculture and severe weather conditions that are causing increased damage to urban areas⁴. Recent discussions in the past few weeks have increasingly focused on the cost of climate change⁵. As we move closer to +1.5°C, we will see more severe weather effects and the cost of protecting ourselves increases. This will eat into the budgets that governments have set aside to fight climate change, reducing our chances of limiting temperature increases.

Despite this immediacy, much of the focus is on technologies that are slow burners. We seem to focus on technology solutions that are net zero, but targeted at 2040, or solutions that will remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, risking overshoot⁶. It’s clear we need to start reducing emissions now, not just waiting for net zero solutions to become available.

The role of data

Data can play a part. Across transport, construction and agriculture solutions are available that can help to improve productivity and/or reduce emissions. They are often relatively cheap (or at least cheap compared to technologies that require greater transformation of a sector). Importantly they can be installed by individuals, rather than waiting for consensus amongst industries and time-consuming infrastructure and regulation changes. Many of these approaches can be applied immediately.

For example, many of our friends and family changed their driving habits when they had MPG calculations available in their vehicles, often shocked at how small changes can lead to relatively big savings, with more efficient driving showing the ability to reduce emissions by 15-20%⁷. The same sort of approach can be applied in shipping, showing a theoretical saving of 18% using a combination of data based green tech that is already on the market⁸. Just by understanding our systems better and operating more efficiently. With Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) bunkering in Singapore at $567.50 per metric ton⁹, there is an economic as well as social driver.

Immediate change is needed

However, we still see relatively limited uptake of these approaches. But we can’t continue to wait. Data approaches allow immediate reductions in emissions and need to be part of business operations. When applied effectively they save money in the short term, allowing a bigger pot for future investment while lowering the cost of implementing net zero products. Immediate change is needed to reduce climate shocks and give us the best chance to protect people. If you haven’t implemented these approaches, what’s holding you back?

¹ Can we still avoid 1.5 degrees C of global warming? » Yale Climate Connections ² 2024 first year to pass 1.5C global warming limit ³ Once we pass 1.5°C of global warming, there is no going back | New Scientist ⁴ What a year of freak weather tells us about climate change, and what comes next ⁵ A ‘doom loop’ of climate change and geopolitical instability is beginning ⁶ ‘Overshoot myth’ risks catastrophic global warming · GreenFutures ⁷ Climate explained does your driving speed make any difference to your cars emissions ⁸ Greater than the sum of their parts: merging green technologies ⁹ Singapore Bunker Prices