How Huawei and IUCN Are Revolutionizing Conservation Efforts
Phase 2 of the Tech4Nature worldwide cooperation began on June 5, when Huawei and the International Union for protection of environmental (IUCN) co-hosted the 2024 Tech4Nature Summit to further encourage innovation in environmental protection.
Tech4Nature is a collaborative effort between the two organisations to provide technological solutions for Protected and Conserved Areas (PCA) worldwide. It is in line with Huawei’s TECH4ALL project and the IUCN Green List. Additionally, this is the first time that Huawei and IUCN have joined together in a significant way to support the fields of information and communication technology (ICT) and environmental protection.
“While the natural world faces unprecedented challenges, technology and digital solutions can help save Tech4Nature planet’s biodiversity. For this reason, IUCN and Huawei formed the Tech4Nature alliance,” stated IUCN Director General Dr. Grethel Aguilar. “I am proud to see this partnership moving to the next phase, helping all stakeholders to unite for nature and build a better future.”
“Tao Jingwen, a board member and member of the Huawei Committee on Sustainability, stated that Huawei is prepared to continually explore environment and nature protection scenarios, develop appropriate digital technologies to address environmental protection challenges, and collaboratively build a more equitable and sustainable digital world as a technical partner of governments, customers, and environmental protection agencies.
Huawei applies the S.H.A.R.E. principle and four sustainable development strategies:
They will collaborate with industry chain partners to create a thriving and healthy business ecosystem (Harmony), maximise accessibility and equality through digital inclusion (TECH4ALL), and create safe and dependable ICT infrastructure and services to protect the digital world (Reliability) in order to ensure a sustainable digital future.They can jointly achieve social growth and ecological balance (environment) through scientific and technological innovation.”
Phase 1 of Tech4Nature
Phase 1 of Tech4Nature was implemented in five PCAs in China, Mauritius, Mexico, Spain, and Switzerland between 2020 and 2023. Notable accomplishments consist of:
- Acoustic as monitoring identifies HAINAN gibbons, the world’s rarest ape, to help repopulate them. There are presently only 37 people left.
- In Mexico, jaguars are identified and tracked using AI pattern recognition; last year, the presence of seven individuals in Dzilam State Reserve was confirmed for the first time.
- Cutting-edge platforms for real-time observation and tracking of community-run coral reef conservation and restoration initiatives in Mauritius; 25,000 healthy coral pieces have already been restored to portions of the Indian Ocean reef that have been deteriorated.
Phase 2 of Tech4Nature
The flagship six initiatives in China, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Kenya, and Turkey will get support from Tech4Nature Phase 2 (2023–2026). After Huawei and the IUCN announced in October 2023 that they will launch Phase 2, the summit signified the official start of these six projects.
The development of state-of-the-art technological solutions to meet the 30×30 target and Target 4 on preventing extinction as outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) is another commitment made by Huawei and IUCN in Phase 2. Through the involvement of more individuals, partners, and nations, this phase will also increase collaboration between the technology and nature conservation sectors.
Practitioners of conservation, scholars, representatives of the government and business sector, and members of the larger Tech4Nature community all attended the three-day summit.
Workshops were organised to increase partner capacity, investigate strategies for attaining just and efficient conservation through the IUCN Green List, talk about ethical issues and offer implementation advice, and facilitate peer-to-peer learning and collaboration.
Partnership for their Planet, the main magazine of Tech4Nature, was also introduced by the partners. The report, which is available for download on the Tech4Nature website, emphasises the critical role that innovative technology solutions play in addressing contemporary conservation issues.
With Phase 2 of the Tech4Nature Summit starting in June 2024, it appears to be a forward-thinking project. Here are a few potential future scenarios:
Technological advancements in conservation: They anticipate seeing more research and development go into cutting-edge solutions like artificial intelligence (AI) for drone patrols, remote data collecting in protected areas, and species monitoring.
Expanding prosperous initiatives: The conference showcased six initiatives across multiple nations. These initiatives may grow and become models for other areas in the future.
Enhanced Cooperation: The Tech4Nature programme places a strong emphasis on cooperation between tech companies and environmental organisations. Future growth could see more partners and skills added to this.
Meeting Global Biodiversity Goals: The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adhered to by the summit. The 30×30 aim, which calls for saving 30% of the globe by 2030, and averting extinction might be greatly aided by Tech4Nature‘s efforts.
All things considered, the Tech4Nature Summit clears the path for a time when technology will be essential to preserving the biodiversity of Tech4Nature world.
The Tech4Nature Summit, which Huawei and IUCN co-hosted and ended recently, represents a step in the right direction towards using technology to save wildlife. This is how things might develop in the future:
Tech4Nature future
Enhanced Conservation Efforts
Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered monitoring systems can more efficiently track the movements of wildlife, illicit activity, and environmental changes. Better protection of threatened species and their habitats may result from this.
Extending Reach
Real-time data cloud sharing and coordinated responses to threats can be facilitated by technological solutions that span geographical distances across conservation zones.
Citizen science
Easy-to-use apps and web-based resources can enable regular people to take part in data gathering and conservation initiatives.
Sustainable Practices
By optimising resource management in protected areas, technological developments can encourage actions that reduce human impact.
Changing Collaborations
The Tech4Nature programme is an example of how tech companies and environmental organisations can work together. It’s likely that this pattern will carry on, encouraging more innovation.
