AI & Climate Change
Climate intelligence for communities on the frontlines.
Translating complex environmental signals into practical, community-readable adaptation intelligence, particularly for Sub-Saharan Africa, where climate risk is acute and data science capacity is limited.
Climate change is not an abstract threat for the communities Richard works with and researches. It is a lived, daily reality: changing rainfall patterns, increasing drought frequency, shifting planting seasons, and growing flood risk. His climate AI research focuses on making this complexity legible to the people who need to act on it.
Working with open geospatial datasets and satellite imagery, Richard develops models and dashboards that help local governments, NGOs, and communities understand what is happening in their environment and plan adaptive responses, without needing a data science team to interpret the outputs.
This research area directly informs his work on SDG 13 (Climate Action) and contributes to a broader evidence base on AI-assisted adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa. The goal is not just to produce climate data, but to produce climate intelligence that communities can actually use.
Climate Action
Richard's climate AI work is explicitly aligned with SDG 13, strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards through applied AI.
By building systems that translate satellite-derived signals into community-readable risk narratives, this research contributes directly to evidence-based adaptation planning in communities with the least resources and the highest exposure.
Research approach
Data Sources
Open geospatial datasets, satellite imagery, precipitation records, and temperature anomaly indices, sourced from publicly available climate data repositories.
Methods
Machine learning models, NLP-based risk narratives, and geospatial analytics that translate raw signals into structured, interpretable intelligence.
Outputs
Community dashboards, adaptation planning briefs, and youth-facing visualisations that help local governments and NGOs act without needing a data science team.
Featured system
Climate Signal Observatory for Community Resilience
Problem: Communities need localized climate intelligence that is understandable and actionable.
Approach: Open climate data, geospatial indicators, risk narratives, and youth-facing dashboards.
Impact: Supports resilience planning, public awareness, and adaptation conversations.
Explore the system →Collaborate on climate research
Interested in partnering on climate intelligence research, co-developing community dashboards, or accessing datasets and methodologies?