AI and the Ethics of the Earth with Tumpa Mostafa
As artificial intelligence reshapes climate decision-making, the values embedded in its code may determine the future of our planet.
From wildfire prediction to flood mapping, AI is becoming a powerful climate tool. But if it is programmed only to protect profits and human convenience, it may deepen the ecological crisis it aims to solve.
Introduction
In 2026, the phrase “climate change” can feel almost too small. In Canada, temperatures are rising at roughly twice the global average. Wildfires are no longer isolated events—they’re a season. Water insecurity affects the prairies and northern communities. Flood risks are increasing. These crises are interconnected, touching health, biodiversity, culture, and economic stability.
In response, governments and industries are turning to artificial intelligence (AI)—the most powerful analytical tool humanity has ever built. But writer and environmental advocate Tumpa Mostafa argues, before we hand over the keys to our planet, we must ask: What values are driving these systems?
AI doesn’t have values. It reflects the values we embed in it. Tumpa Mostafa
Her answer is both philosophical and practical: the future of AI must be ecocentric—grounded in the ethics of the Earth itself.
AI in a Warming Canada
Canada has emerged as a global AI leader, with research hubs in Montreal, Toronto, and Edmonton. AI systems are already:
- Predicting wildfire ignition zones
- Mapping flood risks
- Tracking habitat loss
- Optimizing power grids
- Forecasting crop yields
These tools enable faster emergency responses and smarter planning. In many cases, they save lives.
Yet there is a paradox.
“We’re using a high-carbon tool to solve a carbon problem,” Mostafa explains. Training large AI models can consume enormous amounts of electricity and water. Data centers require constant cooling. The environmental footprint is real—and often hidden.
Key Takeaways
- AI increasingly guides climate decisions, from wildfires to water monitoring.
- Most AI systems prioritize human profit over ecological health.
- Ecocentric ethics value ecosystems for their intrinsic worth.
- AI reflects the values humans program into it.
- A mindset shift can align technology with planetary boundaries.
Meanwhile, Canada’s proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act focuses primarily on economic growth and human safety. Those are important priorities, Mostafa acknowledges. But something is missing.
“The Earth is not a stakeholder in our AI policy,” she says. “That’s the glaring hole.”
The Anthropocentric Trap
Most AI systems today are built on an anthropocentric worldview—one that places human needs at the center.
Anthropocentrism sees nature primarily as a resource to manage for human benefit. In AI systems, this often translates into optimization for:
- Efficiency
- Profit
- Cost reduction
- Human comfort
If an AI is asked to maximize timber production, it may recommend clearing forests with ruthless efficiency. It will not automatically account for fungal networks in the soil or the migration of caribou—because those ecological relationships don’t show up on a financial balance sheet.
“We have taught this machine to see the world exactly as we have seen it in the past,” Mostafa says. “As something to be used.”
The danger? We risk reinforcing the same patterns that helped create the climate crisis in the first place.
The Ecocentric Flip
Ecocentrism offers a different lens.
Unlike anthropocentrism, ecocentrism recognizes that ecosystems—soil, water, forests, species, atmosphere—have intrinsic value. That means they matter not only because they serve human needs, but because they exist as part of a living whole.
We’re using a high-carbon tool to solve a carbon problem. Tumpa Mostafa
“A river is valuable not because it gives us electricity,” Mostafa says, “but because it is a river.”
Under an ecocentric framework, the question shifts from What’s good for people? to What’s good for the whole system?
Applied to AI, this shift could be transformative.
AI systems do not possess values. They reflect the values we embed in them. If we program them to prioritize ecological integrity—biodiversity, soil health, carbon sequestration—they will optimize accordingly.
“We are responsible for what values we embed in our AI systems,” Mostafa emphasizes.
What Would Ecocentric AI Look Like?
Imagine an AI system that measures success not just in dollars saved, but in biodiversity restored.
An AI that alerts a corporation not only when profits decline—but when the health of a local watershed drops by 1%.
An algorithm that must pass an ecological audit before being deployed by the government.
Mostafa proposes practical steps:
- Mandate ecological metrics.
AI systems should report ecological return on investment, not just financial return. - Require transparency.
Companies should disclose the energy and water footprints of AI operations. - Embrace “slow AI.”
Rather than racing for market dominance, prioritize deliberate, ethical, sustainable development.
“Ecocentric AI is not about rejecting technology,” Mostafa says. “It’s about a mindset shift.”
Indigenous Knowledge as Guardrails
Ecocentrism is not new. Many Indigenous worldviews have long recognized humans as part of—not separate from—the Earth.
In Canada and globally, Indigenous communities have practiced forms of ecological stewardship for millennia. Traditional ecological knowledge emphasizes interdependence, reciprocity, and long-term balance.
The Earth must become a stakeholder in our AI systems. Tumpa Mostafa
Mostafa argues that this knowledge should serve as a guardrail for AI development.
“It’s long overdue for Indigenous communities to be meaningfully involved in climate planning,” she says. “It would only benefit the whole ecosystem.”
Bringing Indigenous perspectives into AI governance is not symbolic—it’s practical. These knowledge systems offer tested frameworks for living within ecological limits.
Two Possible Futures
Mostafa describes two diverging paths.
Path One: Anthropocentric AI
We use AI to squeeze more efficiency from an already stressed planet. Disaster prediction improves, but disasters intensify because root causes remain unaddressed.
Path Two: Ecocentric AI
We treat the Earth as the ultimate stakeholder. AI becomes a digital witness and partner in regeneration. It helps us live within planetary boundaries instead of engineering our way around them.
The choice is not technological—it is ethical.
And it is urgent.
Practical Takeaways & Implications
For Rotarians, nonprofit leaders, and professionals worldwide, the implications are tangible.
- Ask value-based questions. When adopting AI tools, inquire about environmental footprint and design principles.
- Support transparency initiatives. Advocate for disclosure of energy and water use.
- Vote and lead thoughtfully. Encourage policymakers to integrate ecological metrics into AI regulation.
- Choose aligned platforms. Seek technology providers committed to renewable energy and sustainability.
- Keep humans in the loop. AI is powerful—but not infallible. Critical thinking remains essential.
Mostafa does not call for abandoning AI. She acknowledges it is already woven into daily life—from search engines to logistics systems.
Instead, she calls for collective responsibility.
“As Rotarians, we understand that service isn’t just a slogan,” she says. “It’s a commitment to the future.”
AI may be the most powerful tool humanity has created. The question is whether we will code it only for ourselves—or for the Earth.
