Lab News
Press Release: ChatNetZero Sets Benchmark for AI Energy Transparency and Climate Data Accuracy
Upgraded climate AI tool outperforms general-purpose chatbots on accuracy and energy efficiency – while introducing ‘per-query’ energy disclosure for transparency. Earth Day, 22 April, 2026: ChatNetZero, the world’s first climate target chatbot, today unveiled a major...
New Study Reveals Rapidly Growing Heat Exposure Inequities Across the United States by 2100, Especially in Southeastern States
A new peer-reviewed study led by Kaihui Song and colleagues presents the most detailed national assessment to date of how rising temperatures will intensify disparities in moist heat hazards across the United States by the end of the century. This interdisciplinary...
Data-Driven EnviroLab receives $1 million grant from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation for AI climate work
The Data-Driven EnviroLab (DDL) is excited and honored to announce that The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has awarded our lab a $1 million grant to advance our work in improving Artificial Intelligence (AI) accountability. This funding will enable the expansion...
North Carolina takes leadership role on Responsible AI; DDL Director Hsu appointed to Leadership Council
We are proud to share that Dr. Angel Hsu, Founding Director of the Data-Driven EnviroLab (DDL), has been appointed as an inaugural member of North Carolina’s newly established AI Leadership Council! On Tuesday, September 2, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein...
Press Release: ChatNDC Official Launch
ChatNDC: AI-powered platform to scale climate policy insights for enhanced climate ambition ChatNDC (beta) is an AI-powered platform specifically designed to streamline the analysis of countries’ Paris Agreement pledges, known as Nationally Determined...
Press Release: New Scorecard of Cities’ Climate Action Released at Start of COP29 Climate Conference
The Cities Climate Action Report Card (CCARC) is a new tool that measures the transparency, integrity, and leadership of cities’ net-zero pledges, climate action plans, and implementation strategies. Building on foundational scientific recommendations from...
Net Zero Stocktake 2024
Regional governments key to next round of national carbon-cutting plans The number of companies, cities, and regions with net zero targets increased, up 23%, 8% and 28%, respectively, since the previous Net Zero Shtocktake in June 2023. However, more than 40% of major...
Decoding Climate Action of Non-State Actors: A Call for a Digitally-Enabled Climate Accountability System
[Chapel Hill, NC, December 8, 2023] – A new report by the Data-Driven EnviroLab calls for a universal digital climate accountability system to enhance data quality from non-state actors (NSA) and halt greenwashing. Developed in response to increasing calls from...
Cities must double down on climate action to correct course; 2.5x effort needed to align with 1.5C goal.
Key Messages Subnational climate action is beginning to rebound following a brief slump post the COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 2023, more than 3,000 cities and 175 subnational states and regions, accounting for 26.5% of the global total population, have pledged to...
Heightened city, region and company climate ambition in recent years brings promising developments to the forefront of the UN’s Climate Ambition Summit
September 20, Utrecht, Netherlands and Chapel Hill, North Carolina — In response to the UN Climate Ambition Summit’s call for greater climate ambition and action, a new analysis from the Data-Driven EnviroLab at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and...
