Machine Learning and ‘The Cloud’ for Natural Resource Applications: Autonomous Online Robots Driving Sustainable Conservation Management Worldwide?

Abstract

The advent of the internet was arguably the most important development in modern society. It has altered nearly every aspect of modern social behavior and therefore represents one of the (if not ‘THE’) biggest changes humankind has ever experienced. The internet has shifted paradigms in thinking, particularly in science and natural resource management, as we are now able to store and deliver data faster than ever. However, the internet also played a major role in moving us further into the Anthropocene due to its role in globalization, related climate change, wilderness degradation and ongoing over-population. Despite the implications for the natural world, the dramatic increase in internet accessibility has yet to be studied with regards to ethical considerations in ecology. In this chapter, we take an approach reflective of human optimism and focus on one of the ‘pros’ of the internet by examining how the cloud can be used with machine learning algorithms to explore aspects and sustainability of natural resource management. We present an overview of several ecological applications which take advantage of cloud computing and machine learning that have already left a global impact. Secondly, we show how machine learning in the cloud is likely to be employed in the near future for natural resource management. Lastly, we conclude with a holistic perspective on governance of global sustainability that takes the carbon and energy footprint of the cloud into account. While technology is increasingly driving global decision making, we argue that ecological and associated ethical considerations and their global constraints must be fully considered to ensure a truly sustainable society.