Key facts
- Hong Kong is a major global data centre hub.
- A UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health study found Hong Kong's data centres' carbon footprint is higher than the global average.
- The report also assessed the water and land footprints associated with AI electricity consumption.
- The study calls for responsible strategies to manage the environmental impacts of AI.
Hong Kong, a significant global centre for data centres, has a carbon footprint from these facilities that surpasses the worldwide average, according to a study by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health. The June report highlighted not only carbon emissions but also the water and land footprints associated with the electricity consumed by artificial intelligence. The findings serve as a call to action for the implementation of responsible strategies to mitigate the "unintended impacts" stemming from the increasing use of AI technologies.