Leveraging AI-Augmented Digital Technologies for Environmental Peacebuilding and Security [EnPAx Data and Technology Interest Group]

Date & Time
Jun 19, 2026 | 11.00 - 12.30

Participants
Asim Zia, Institute for Environmental Diplomacy and Security (United States)
Martyn Clark, United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health
Hisham al-Omeisy, European Institute of Peace (Yemen)
Jeannine Valcour, University of Vermont (United States)
Susan Sgorbati, Bennington College (United States)

Building from successful publication of flagship UNEP-ENPAX report on horizon scanning of digital technologies, the Digital and Technological Applications (DATA) interest group of ENPAX is organizing an official side-event on leveraging AI for climate security, adaptation and mitigation during UNFCCC COP30 in Belem, Brazil. In this proposed roundtable, we will bring forward a balanced panel of academics and practitioners to highlight key findings from the recent COP30 and explore frontier questions that rapidly evolving AI technologies, especially large language models (LLMs) and D-Diffusion models, pose for re-imagining environmental peacebuilding and climate security. Proposed participants will include practitioners from UNEP, ELI, EIP etc. and academics from Virginia Tech, McGill and University of Saskatchewan. Each panelist will receive two questions from the moderator, while ample time will be left for audience participation in the roundtable through direct interaction with the panelists. The first question will probe panelist understanding of risks and benefits posed by new AI technologies. The second question will focus on designing collaborative AI-human technologies that can be leveraged for environmental peacebuilding across the peace and security continuum spanning preventive diplomacy/early warning, peacemaking and mediation, peacekeeping, sustaining peace and sustainable development.