The head of the UN is demanding “the whole truth” about the climate costs of artificial intelligence (AI). “No more hidden costs. No more shifting the burden onto those least able to bear it. It’s time to tell the whole truth,” said António Guterres on Tuesday, June 23, during a speech at the London Climate Action Week in London. This comes amid extreme temperatures and heatwaves that no longer seem episodic.
The UN chief announced the launch of an initiative aimed at promoting environmental transparency in the field of artificial intelligence. It calls on global AI giants to measure and publish the environmental footprint of their activities, including carbon emissions, water consumption, and land use, while committing to power their operations with renewable energy sources by the end of the decade.
“If AI is to help build a better future, it must be honest about what it costs us today,” emphasized António Guterres during this major annual gathering organized in the British capital.
Data processing centers — repositories of servers that power AI and other digital services — are highly energy-intensive. They are projected to consume 448 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2025. For comparison, if they were a country, their consumption would rank them 11th in the world, just behind France (468 TWh), according to a UN study published in early June.
Accelerating climate solutions
The UN chief noted that “communities are often left in the dark about the environmental impact of the infrastructures developing around them,” reminding that AI is “ravenous for land, water, and energy,” although it can help “accelerate climate solutions.”
Global call to action on methane
In addition to the proposal for the technology sector, Guterres also initiated a “global call to action on methane” — the second-largest contributor to climate change after CO2. The goal is to achieve “near-zero emissions across the entire value chain.”
He proposed a series of targets for methane leaks in the oil and gas industry and flaring practices — the process of burning natural gas released during oil extraction without utilizing it. He also aims to reduce emissions in the agricultural sector and landfills.
“I urge the fossil fuel sector to take responsibility and do what should have been done long ago,” insisted António Guterres, reminding that in 2025 alone, about 167 billion cubic meters of gas were flared, equivalent to Africa’s annual consumption.
Source: Libération