Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly taking a leading role in making sense of the big data recorded by satellites, drones, smart phones, and sensors throughout the planet. Indeed, this technology can be applied to help solve a large number of contemporary challenges, and enhance their knowledge production and field implementation capacity. AI can help predicting the effects of climate change and the path of storms, monitoring the spread of diseases, understanding human decision-making processes in terms of energy consumption and protection of the environment, or identifying areas most in need of attention. These are some of the numerous AI applications that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have employed in the last several years to protect the planet. Although AI presents numerous challenges in terms of ethics, governance and power, this new technology already now allows us to better understand our planet, from its urban communities to its most remote and untouched areas, from high mountain pikes to deep oceans, and to understand how our planet adapts to the rapid changes it must face stemming from human activities, climate change, and pollution to cite only a few. AI will most certainly become a major instrument in the future of environmental governance, from policy making to field and operational projects.