Getting to Net Zero Carbon - Implications for the Classification Community
Mary Ethna Black a
Introduction
As our demand for data to support the classification of diseases and interventions increases, we face a paradox when it comes to the imperative to reach Net Zero Carbon and save the planet. Those who use data are often distant from the carbon costs of the data itself, but this is no longer a valid argument. As responsible citizens we must assume responsibility for the carbon costs of our data ecosystem. The Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change IPCC report 2022 warned that the world is set to reach the 1.5ºC level within the next two decades and said that only the most drastic cuts in carbon emissions from now would help prevent an environmental disaster.
Methods
I will draw on my experience in massive health data systems, my work with scientific climate modelling bodies, and my current role as the Chair of the advisory board for UK Research and Innovation NET Zero Digital Research Infrastructure Project. UKRI is the peak research body in the UK and encompasses health and social care research and data. I will use the findings of this project to refine the challenges, define the principles, and current evidence and options for action relevant to the audience of the conference. I will focus on data production and use, as this is most relevant to this conference.
Results
The interim evidence report for the UKRI initiative is being finalised in June and July 2023.
Conclusions
Clear steps can be taken in relation to data efficiency, prioritisation, hardware and energy choices, policy levers. Every conference now should embed climate change into the agenda, call for papers and workstreams. This will allow the specialised groups who attend scientific meetings to contribute to the debate, be accountable, and take action.
a University of St Andrews, United Kingdom
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