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UN Chief Urges AI Firms to Disclose Environmental Footprint
🇯🇲 Jamaica /Environment & Climate

UN Chief Urges AI Firms to Disclose Environmental Footprint

From Jamaica Observer · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged artificial intelligence (AI) companies to disclose their environmental impact, citing the growing energy, water, and land use of data centers.
  • Guterres highlighted the urgency of climate action, noting the planet has experienced its 11 hottest years on record and that the energy crisis exposes the world's dependence on fossil fuels.
  • He launched an AI Environmental Transparency Initiative, calling for major AI firms to power data centers with renewable energy by 2030 and publicly report their environmental footprint.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has challenged artificial intelligence (AI) firms to reveal their environmental footprint, urging greater transparency as the world grapples with accelerating climate change. Speaking at London Climate Action Week, Guterres painted a grim picture of a planet enduring its 11 hottest years on record, exacerbated by an energy crisis fueled by global conflicts that exposes a dangerous dependence on fossil fuels.

Climate chaos is accelerating before our eyes.

— Antonio GuterresDescribing the current state of the planet's climate.

"Climate chaos is accelerating before our eyes," Guterres stated, drawing a parallel between the current crises and Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities." He emphasized that both the climate and energy crises stem from the same source: fossil fuels. Guterres advocated for a swift transition to renewable energy and announced new initiatives aimed at reducing methane emissions and addressing the environmental concerns associated with energy-intensive data centers.

The burgeoning energy, water, and land consumption of data centers, which power AI and other digital services, is placing significant pressure on local communities and ecosystems. Guterres called for honesty from the AI industry, stating, "If AI is to help build a better future, it must be honest about what it costs us now." To this end, he launched the AI Environmental Transparency Initiative.

It is clear that our world is facing a Tale of Two Crises.

— Antonio GuterresReferencing the climate and energy crises.

This initiative urges major AI companies to measure and publicly disclose their environmental impact. It also calls for a commitment to power all data centers with renewable energy by 2030. A recent UN study indicated that data centers' electricity consumption is substantial, projected to rival that of several countries by 2030. Currently, coal accounts for about 30 percent of this electricity usage, with renewables at 27 percent, natural gas at 26 percent, and nuclear at 15 percent, according to the International Energy Agency.

Fossil fuels.

— Antonio GuterresIdentifying the common destructive origin of the climate and energy crises.

In parallel, a coalition of cities announced a "Global Urban Data Centres Pact" to ensure responsible development of these facilities. London Mayor Sadiq Khan affirmed the pact's aim to manage growth responsibly, acknowledging the vital role of AI and digital infrastructure in urban prosperity. Guterres' warning comes as Europe faces its second heatwave, underscoring the urgent need for global action on climate goals.

It is time to come clean.

— Antonio GuterresUrging AI companies to be transparent about their environmental impact.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jamaica Observer in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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