Summary

This doctoral thesis by Marie Fransisco of the Mistra Geopolitics Research School, investigates how international actors make sense of the roles of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in environmental policy in their broader geopolitical context.

There is a variety of ways AI can be used, developed, with multiple opportunities and risks. As such, “AI” can be defined, steered, regulated, utilised and developed in a multitude of ways with a variety of governance implications. As a strong component of policymaking and institutions, ideas suggest (1) practical suggestions for action to (2) defined problems, and (3) what values and parameters should be considered. Ideas are consequently important factors in how AI is made sense of, both as a tool and as an object of environmental governance.

Key messages

• To explore how AI is made sense of in environmental policy, this thesis focus on how international actors construe their ideas about AI in and for environmental governance (Paper I, Paper II, and Paper III).
• In addition, the author explore how these ideas reflect broader geopolitical dynamics, in particular the power relations and the climate security perspectives that are upheld by them (Paper III and Paper IV).
• Finally, the author seek to identify potential shortcomings and suggest some path forward to make sure the governance of AI will truly support sustainability transformation. This is done by exploring how researchers working with or on AI understand sustainability within responsible AI discussions (Paper V).