The Net Zero Summit: AI in Sustainability Discussions

Artificial intelligence is transforming how organisations manage environmental performance.

At Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit, the AI in Sustainability panel discussion included multiple specialists putting forth their knowledge into how intelligent systems are improving accuracy, efficiency and speed across sustainability initiatives.

Sustainability at AWS

AWS positions sustainability as a core business strategy, transforming it from a compliance or cost function into a driver of growth, resilience and competitiveness. 

Using cloud and AI, sustainability data can be captured, standardised and analysed alongside financial and operational metrics, enabling advanced decision-making, costed use cases and investment prioritisation.

Technology is particularly critical for addressing complex challenges such as Scope 3 emissions, which require end-to-end supply chain visibility, data sharing and cross-organisational collaboration. 

Cloud-based platforms enable these capabilities, unlocking insights that support optimisation in logistics, procurement and overall supply chain management.

Hilary Tam is the Sustainability Leader for AWS in EMEA, helping customers build resilient, future fit businesses.

With more than a decade of experience driving cross-industry sustainability transformation, she was previously the Global Sustainability Strategy Director at Arm.

A former World Economic Forum fellow and Greenpeace climate & energy campaigner, Hilary has advanced the UN Global Goals through public-private partnerships and multi-stakeholder innovation.

She holds an M.Sc. in Sustainability & Management and a B.A. in Political Science & Environmental Policy.

“Hopefully we can really help flip the script a little bit, help empower and inspire you to really kind of leverage the tools that we have to move sustainability, procurement, supply chain from an operational cost centre to front and centre," Hilary said onstage at the AI in Sustainability panel discussion.

"It's not just how we decarbonise our organisations, but how we create growth, how we set our organisations on that trajectory where we are future fit, more resilient, inclusive and circular.”

Advanced tools like agentic AI further amplify team capabilities by automating routine tasks, freeing leaders to focus on strategy, innovation and shaping the organisation’s future in emerging areas such as nature, biodiversity and long-term resilience.

NVIDIA’s AI use

NVIDIA Earth‑2 transforms weather and climate forecasting by providing an open, AI-powered platform that accelerates data assimilation, prediction and analysis, enabling high-resolution, production-ready forecasts previously limited to energy-intensive supercomputers.

By leveraging GPUs and modular AI infrastructure, Earth‑2 reduces compute time, lowers costs and democratises access for researchers, enterprises and public agencies, supporting faster, more accurate decision-making in sectors from renewable energy to disaster preparedness.

Josh Parker leads Corporate Sustainability at NVIDIA. 

An engineer and a lawyer, he believes following the data wherever it leads is critical for an effective sustainability programme.

He previously led sustainability at Western Digital, a computer storage company and practiced patent law at the law firm Baker Botts.

“I would say data becomes just tremendously more powerful when you apply AI on top of it and that can lead to very pro- sustainability outcomes,” said Josh at the event.

“One example that we've seen in NVIDIA is we have an Earth II model, which is a digital twin of the Earth to assist with weather and climate modelling. 

“And one of the real advantages of it is it takes the existing observational data that's been out there and it makes it more valuable because it converts it into intelligence and more predictive, more accurate weather and climate modelling.”

The platform integrates multiple AI models, including Medium Range, Nowcasting, CorrDiff and FourCastNet3, allowing organisations to generate bespoke forecasts, improve short-term risk awareness and enhance climate resilience. 

Complementary hardware like the GB300 NVL72 platform manages GPU power demand with onboard energy storage and smoothing, reducing infrastructure strain while maintaining performance and operational efficiency for large-scale AI workloads.

Sustainable AI at Google

Google leverages AI and cloud technology to advance environmental sustainability across cities, oceans and ecosystems, transforming data into actionable insights that improve urban planning, disaster response and natural resource management.

Initiatives include optimising traffic and emissions, mapping and restoring kelp forests in Australia’s Great Southern Reef, supporting urban forestry and tracking wildlife and wildfires, all while integrating AI into decision-making and operational efficiency.

Adam is a sustainability leader with more than 20 years of experience in driving positive transformational change for some of the world's most influential companies.

As Google’s Director of Sustainability for Europe, Middle East and Africa, he works at the intersection of the physical, digital and natural worlds.

He coordinates with Google's real-world and digital infrastructure teams, from real estate and supply chains to data centers and products, to ensure that the company is taking advantage of opportunities to strategically advance sustainability.

Previously, Adam held senior sustainability roles at Amazon, Marks & Spencer and Klöckner Pentaplast, where he developed and delivered innovative sustainability strategies and programs that enhanced their environmental, social and governance performance.

He is a Chartered Environmentalist and a Fellow of both ISEP and ICRS and an Executive Fellow at King’s Business School.

He has been recognised as one of the UK's top 100 environmental professionals and among the top 50 sustainability thought leaders and influencers globally.

He is passionate about creating a more sustainable and inclusive future for everyone.

“We use our geospatial capabilities, so Google Earth engine, along with AI to analyse around 500 million buildings around the world to help solar developers understand with pitch size, best design for solar arrays and that's really helping to speed up deployment," says Adam at the AI in Sustainability panel.

“At Google, once we build our own solutions, other companies come and build on Google platform using our data, our AI capabilities and our tools.”

Through platforms like Google Earth Engine, Vertex AI and the Digital Future Initiative, the company accelerates climate adaptation and ecosystem restoration, identifies resilient species and habitats and enables real-time monitoring of biodiversity and water resources.

These efforts combine advanced analytics, global collaboration and scalable infrastructure to deliver measurable environmental impact, demonstrating AI’s potential to enhance sustainability while highlighting the need for transparency and responsible energy use in high-demand computing workloads.

Sustainable supply chains

The NHS is transforming into the world’s most AI-enabled health system, integrating artificial intelligence across clinical pathways, procurement and operations.

AI is central to predictive staffing, digital supply chain management, value-based procurement and personalised care, enabling faster decision-making, reduced waste and improved patient outcomes.

As a dedicated sustainability professional (Head of Sustainability, NHS Supply Chain), Heidi Barnard helps organisations understand their sustainability impact, drive strategic initiatives and empower teams to deliver on the NHS Net Zero and Social Value agenda.

With 19 years of experience across the Manufacturing, Construction and Healthcare sectors, she specialises in developing comprehensive strategies and action plans and excel in stakeholder collaboration.

As an ISEP Fellow, Chartered Environmentalist Full Member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences, Full Member of the Chartered Institute of Waste Managers and Chartered Waste Manager, she is passionate about mentoring teams to achieve their goals and engaging future generations in green skills and careers.

An outdoor enthusiast, she enjoys open water swimming and cycling.

“I'm able to look at that data and able to understand where their current emissions are, what their targets are, how they're ploying those targets and actually project that against where our targets are around 2030, 2014, 2045," Heidi said on the panel discussion.

And what that tells me is we're already on track to achieve our net very targets and it also gives me the insight to work out what the leaders are need to pull are to get to the next that will last 20% and the marginal gains that we need to make.” 

Sustainability is embedded across the NHS, with net zero targets for direct emissions by 2040 and supply chain emissions by 2045, supported by AI-driven initiatives that optimise deliveries, reduce plastic and vehicle waste and streamline logistics.

Collaborative, technology-enabled approaches enhance supply chain visibility, risk management and ethical sourcing, demonstrating how AI can simultaneously advance environmental goals and operational efficiency across complex healthcare networks.