UN Chief Urges AI Firms to Reveal Environmental Costs

United Nations Urges AI Firms to Disclose Environmental Impact

The United Nations has called on major artificial intelligence companies to publicly disclose the full environmental cost of their data centers and use renewable power. This initiative was launched during London Climate Action Week.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that by 2030, these data centers could consume more power than all but five countries globally and enough water to meet the basic needs of over 1 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa for a year.

Guterres emphasized the need for AI firms to measure and disclose their water, carbon, and land use impacts, and commit to powering all data centers with renewable energy by 2030. He stated that “if AI is to help build a better future, it must be honest about what it costs us now.”

Currently, many AI companies rely on voluntary net-zero commitments and renewable electricity targets for decarbonization efforts, while also exploring gas or nuclear power sources for new projects.

Guterres also launched a call to action on methane emissions, urging fossil fuel companies to fix leaks, stop routine flaring, and adopt a science-based global standard. He emphasized the need for these actions due to methane’s potent greenhouse effect, which is responsible for around one-third of current global warming.