Use of a Big Data Approach in Guiding Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Policies and Interventions

Abstract

Despite the rise in global environmental action in the past decades, CO₂ emissions are expected to progressively continue uphill with deforestation swiping millions of hectares annually, hence destroying a major CO₂ sink. Moreover, many of the past controversies on climate change arose due to contentious, differing, disputed data or its nonexistence – but big data could come to solve this challenge.

Today, big data can be used for various climate interventions. The United Nations has clearly indicated that there is a role for big data in fighting climate change and other key global issues underlying the Sustainable Development Goals. But while the role of big data in many climate action areas has become evident, a clear gap exists in understanding its ability to shape climate policy. Hence, given the rapidly expanding positive impact and influence of big data, it is thus serious to investigate its implications in the climate policy realm. Hence, this work examines the role of big climate data in guiding national climate policymaking, specifically the Paris Agreement’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Methodologically, the study followed a mixed methods approach, by using both quantitative and qualitative data, and the analysis of both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data analysis consisted of semi-structured interviews with climate policy experts who were selected for their expertise using purposive sampling. The interviews allowed us to understand perspectives on the ability of big climate databases to reflect NDCs and provide support in their design and implementation. Secondary data analysis involved the evaluation of selected global climate NDC databases by developing an evaluation tool from relevant sources from the literature, including peer-reviewed scientific articles, climate policy documents and international reports. For the purpose of feasibility, case studies were selected also using purposive sampling. The study focused its scope on three big climate databases (World Emissions Clock, Climate Action Tracker, Climate Watch) and two countries (Lebanon and the United Kingdom).

Overall, the results showcased a currently low level of big data guidance in all levels of climate policy, but with a potential for increase if key challenges are addressed properly. Hence, the study proposed a recommendatory framework to ensure enhanced big data guidance in national climate adaptation and mitigation policies based on expert views and insights from the literature.