PyCon UK 2023

Investigating Environmental issues with Python
09-23, 11:00–11:30 (Europe/London), Assembly Room

Earth's sustainability is on the brink. However, with today's information wars this situation isn't universally accepted. This talk democratises citizen environmental investigation by applying Python to selected Green issues. By separating facts from fiction humanity can be better informed to safeguard our existence.


Existential threats to humanity as a result of decades of damage inflicted to the planet are already in motion. From the first climate refugees in 2014, to escalating public health crises of air pollution and food insecurity around the world, Earth becomes less inhabitable every day.

And yet concern isn't as widespread as is warranted. Many parties profit from unsustainable practices, and therefore have motive to obfuscate the long-term harmful consequences. In today's post-truth world, exacerbated by generative AI and other mis-used tech, public opinion is the battleground between multiple opposing influences, only to the detriment of society.

This talk aims to better equip citizens to bypass/counter the deliberate informational noise and investigate environmental issues themselves, being more empowered to come to their own conclusions about the actual state of our world.

A selection of scientific workflows, using open-source Python and publicly available resources, will be presented, each delving into a topical environmental issue to produce actionable insight. Designed to be accessible and reproducible by tech literate citizens without domain expertise, the audience will takeaway transferable Python skills for undertaking similar scientific computing exploration.

Let's democratise Python's potential for citizen access to discovery of environmental facts, so that humanity can be better informed to better influence the safeguarding of our planet, and ultimately our existence.


Is your proposal suitable for beginners? – yes

Chiin (She/Her) is an award-winning Tech Entrepreneur with 15 years' experience practicing, innovating with, and championing Data Science disciplines in industry, government, education, and Open-Source ecosystems.

An Economics graduate from Cambridge, Chiin discovered programming later in her twenties, going on to become the Foreign Office's first Head of Data Science, building their first AI alongside Cyber & National Security capabilities. Today, Chiin's focus is her inclusive EdTech startup, Rho Zeta AI, especially her flagship outreach initiative, Sports Python, seed-funded by the EuroPython Society. Chiin previously co-founded R-Ladies Global through a Linux Foundation grant.

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