The United Nations has called on major artificial intelligence companies to publicly disclose the full environmental cost of their data centres and to power them with renewable energy, launching a transparency initiative for the sector.
The rapid global build-out of data centres to fuel the AI revolution has drawn scrutiny from environmental groups for high energy and water use and a lack of transparency. “By 2030, they could use more power than all but five countries — and enough water to meet the basic needs of all 1.3 billion residents of sub-Saharan Africa for an entire year,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said in an address during London Climate Action Week.
Guterres called on AI firms to measure and publicly disclose their water, carbon and land use impacts and to commit to powering all data centres with renewable energy by 2030, as he launched the U.N.’s AI Environmental Transparency Initiative. “If AI is to help build a better future, it must be honest about what it costs us now,” he said.
AI firms currently rely on voluntary net-zero commitments and renewable electricity targets to decarbonize their operations, while many are also turning to gas or touting nuclear power for new projects. Guterres said the world remains off track to meet global climate goals and criticized voices calling for more fossil fuel use. Deploying more renewable power projects and using them to electrify transport, buildings and industry, he said, is among the fastest ways to cut emissions and break reliance on imported fossil fuels.
Guterres also launched a call to action on methane emissions, which included asking fossil fuel companies to fix leaks, stop routine flaring and adopt a science-based global standard. “I am urging the fossil fuel industry to step up and do what is long overdue,” he said, adding that methane is a potent greenhouse gas responsible for around one-third of current global warming.
He also announced he would convene world leaders in September, ahead of the U.N. Climate Conference COP31 in Turkey, to help drive forward a “just transition” away from fossil fuels.
