UN Secretary General, Guterres urges AI companies to reveal environmental impact, use clean energy for data centres
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on major artificial intelligence companies to publicly disclose the environmental costs of their technologies and transition their data centres to renewable energy sources.
Speaking during the London Climate Action Week on Tuesday, Guterres warned that the rapid growth of AI presents both opportunities and environmental challenges, particularly due to the increasing demand for electricity, water and land required to power data centres.
While highlighting AI’s potential to improve healthcare, education and climate solutions, he stressed that its environmental footprint must be addressed.
According to Guterres, AI data centres already consume more electricity than many countries and could, by 2030, rank among the world’s largest energy users. He also noted that their water consumption could be substantial enough to meet the basic needs of the entire population of sub-Saharan Africa for a year.
To promote accountability, the UN chief announced the launch of the AI Environmental Transparency Initiative. The programme seeks to encourage technology firms to disclose the carbon, water and land impacts of their AI systems and ensure that data centres operate on renewable energy by 2030.
Guterres said communities hosting data centres are often unaware of the environmental consequences associated with such facilities, adding that transparency is necessary to prevent hidden environmental costs.
Beyond AI, the secretary-general unveiled a seven-point roadmap aimed at accelerating the global transition away from fossil fuels. He urged countries, particularly members of the G20, to take the lead in reducing emissions and achieving net-zero targets by 2050.
He also launched a global call to tackle methane pollution, describing it as one of the most urgent environmental challenges facing the world.
Guterres called on governments to end subsidies for new fossil fuel projects and impose taxes on the windfall profits of oil and gas companies. He argued that revenues generated from such taxes could support vulnerable communities and help finance the transition to cleaner energy sources.
The UN chief further stressed the need for a just energy transition that benefits workers, local communities and developing nations, while calling on developed countries to increase support for climate adaptation efforts.
Expressing concern over unequal access to climate finance, Guterres noted that many developing countries face significantly higher borrowing costs than advanced economies. He urged multilateral development banks to expand climate-related lending and called on wealthy nations to fulfil their commitments to international climate funds.
He also highlighted Africa’s untapped renewable energy potential, noting that despite possessing about 60 per cent of the world’s best solar resources, the continent receives only a small fraction of global clean energy investment.
Guterres additionally warned that climate misinformation and disinformation campaigns are undermining public trust and delaying urgent action to address the climate crisis.
