IoT: the frontline of climate change

The consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly evident.

Rising temperatures, more extreme weather events, and environmental degradation, pose serious threats for humanity and nature alike.

The escalating effects of climate change are intensifying the challenges facing different sectors, driving demand for innovative technological solutions. IoT applications are already being deployed to help address climate change and mitigate the risks, and as these technologies mature there are evermore opportunities for developers to play their part.

These deployments can be (broadly) split into two areas. First, there are uses that can improve the sustainability and efficiency of operations – thus lowering carbon emissions and reducing waste of key resources such as energy and water. This can help lessen an organization’s contribution to climate change. Second, IoT devices are deployed to collect and relay vital data to monitor the scale of climate change impacts, with a view to reducing the harms being done.

Here we explore some of the ways in which IoT devices are being deployed.

1. Agriculture

Agriculture is a significant contributor to climate change via deforestation, soil degradation, and emissions from farming machinery used in production. It is also an area that has to counter the impact of climate change, with resource scarcity and land limitations only worsened by crises related to a changing climate; more extreme weather conditions, droughts, floods, and more.

Last year, we discussed how IoT applications are transforming agriculture through smart technologies and innovative processes for raising livestock and growing crops.

With a rapid and continuing increase in the world's population, the demand for food will only grow. Improving yields is therefore vital to boost production, but this needs to be done through sustainable agricultural solutions that can help farmers reduce waste.

IoT devices like sensors and drones are being deployed for precision farming. By collecting real-time data on soil moisture, temperature, and crop health, these devices can help to optimize irrigation, reduce the need for chemical inputs, and increase crop yields.

Sustainable water usage is a particular priority for the sector with the World Bank reporting that agriculture is responsible for 70% of all freshwater withdrawals. Freshwater makes up only 0.55% of Earth’s water, making it a precious resource to manage and protect.

IoT applications are used in livestock monitoring (checking the health of livestock, reducing disease outbreaks, and improving animal welfare) which helps to reduce methane emissions, and also in supply chain optimization which can reduce food waste and improve distribution processes to lessen the environmental impact of production and transportation.

2. Reducing emissions

IoT devices are already popular in oil, gas, and transportation sectors in their bid to minimize fuel consumption and emissions.

Our client LID Technologies is one of those at the forefront of keeping vehicle fleets efficient and safe through IoT devices. Their telematics unit allows for various data to be sent to a cloud server, enabling fleet managers to control the standard Telematics parameters (location, mileage, etc.), while also controlling the tire pressure and temperature in real time.

This, and other IoT-enabled technologies, can help to limit CO2 emissions, extend vehicle lifespan, and reduce waste from faulty equipment, engine damage, and poor route planning.

3. Smart energy

One of the better-known uses of IoT applications is their role in improving energy efficiency.

They can help optimize power generation at source (including wind and solar) or improve the distribution of power through smart grids. This results in reduced energy waste and a more reliable service, lowering the overall carbon footprint of the energy sector.

Energy is also becoming ‘smarter’ at the user end. Smart meters equipped with IoT sensors enable precise monitoring of energy consumption in individual households and large buildings, providing real-time data on energy use to prompt informed decisions that reduce both energy consumption and carbon emissions.

4. Environmental monitoring

IoT allows reliable, cost-effective data transmission using telemetry and logging. There are plenty of ways in which devices can be deployed to monitor air quality (helping to identify sources of pollution and inform corrective measures for air quality), carbon dioxide levels, risk of forest fires (with a view to reducing their intensity and protecting ecosystems) and water quality.

IoT devices are becoming more commonplace for monitoring water quality in rivers, lakes, and oceans. The pressing need for monitoring continues to be the key driver of the sector with increased awareness of warming oceans, overfertilization, and pollutants damaging aquatic life.

Wildlife management

Climate change and a proliferation of extreme weather events are having a significant impact on ecosystems and the wildlife that rely on them.

Threats such as habitat loss, overexploitation, and disease are likely to only worsen in the next decade – and IoT solutions provide a smarter way of tracking and protecting wildlife.

Conservation efforts are more effective with better data, but monitoring wild animals is always tricky. Modern technologies, including radio collars and tracking devices, make it easier and more accurate.

Natural disasters

Shifts in our climate present greater risk of natural disasters – floods, droughts, mudslides and more.

IoT sensors can provide crucial weather data to aid the predictive capabilities of agencies, providing early warnings and opportunities to mitigate the impact.

They can also be used to inform adaptive responses by utility providers. Energy companies, for example, can remotely monitor and control critical infrastructure like reclosers and substations – preventing them from short-circuiting and helping to get operations back up and running more quickly in the aftermath.

Saft and climate change

Many of the IoT applications mentioned above involve deployments in particularly challenging environments. This can include hazardous environments and ATEX zones in the oil and gas sector, and extreme temperatures (both hot and cold) ‘in the field’.

These devices, and their components, need to maintain high performance in these conditions without the need for regular maintenance.