Guterres calls on AI companies: Disclose your environmental costs
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has asked AI companies to share their carbon, water, and land use data with the public.
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United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has called for greater transparency from the artificial intelligence sector regarding its environmental impact. Speaking at London Climate Action Week, Guterres stated that companies must clearly report the carbon pollution, water consumption, and land use resulting from their operations.
Guterres noted that dependence on fossil fuels deepens both the climate crisis and energy security issues, stating, "Climate chaos is accelerating before our eyes." The UN Secretary-General emphasized that energy crises have exposed the fragility of systems based on hydrocarbons.
With his proposal for an "AI Environmental Transparency Initiative," Guterres called for the environmental burden of rapidly growing AI infrastructure to be measured and shared with the public. "No more hidden costs. No more dumping the burden on those least able to bear it. It is time to be transparent," he said.
ENERGY APPETITE OF DATA CENTERS IS GROWING
According to a study published by the UN this month, data centers consumed electricity on a scale that would place them behind only 10 countries in the world in 2025. The study projects that by 2030, these facilities will consume less electricity than only five countries.
The research indicated that AI-related water usage, energy consumption, and pollution could double within four years. It was noted that data centers supporting AI accounted for approximately 1.5 percent of global electricity consumption in 2025, and this share could approach 3 percent by 2030.
Guterres said that companies should commit to powering their data centers with electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, by 2030. According to International Energy Agency data, approximately 30 percent of the electricity consumed by data centers today comes from coal, 27 percent from renewable sources, 26 percent from natural gas, and 15 percent from nuclear energy.
The UN Secretary-General also drew attention to the potential of AI to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions. However, he stated that for this potential to align with climate goals, major emission sources must act quickly and countries must strengthen their commitments under the Paris Agreement.