Key facts
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged AI firms to disclose their environmental footprint.
- He proposed the AI Environmental Transparency Initiative for AI companies to measure and report their impact.
- Data centers' electricity consumption is projected to significantly increase, potentially exceeding that of five countries by 2030.
- Guterres called for AI companies to commit to powering their operations with renewable energy by 2030.
- A UN study indicated that data centers consumed more electricity than all but 10 countries in 2025.
- Currently, coal accounts for approximately 30% of the electricity consumed by data centers globally.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has urged artificial intelligence companies to be transparent about their environmental impact and commit to using clean energy. Speaking at London Climate Action Week, Guterres highlighted the growing electricity and water demands of data centers powering AI, stating that these facilities consumed more electricity than all but 10 countries in 2025. He warned that by 2030, data centers could use more power than all but five countries, and their water, energy use, and pollution could double in four years.
Guterres proposed the AI Environmental Transparency Initiative, calling for AI firms to disclose their carbon pollution, water usage, and land use. He stressed the need for these companies to commit to powering their operations with renewable technologies like wind and solar by 2030, stating, "No more hidden costs."
The UN chief pointed out that while many major tech companies have pledged to use cleaner energy sources, the rapid deployment of AI has complicated these commitments and contributed to rising greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, coal accounts for about 30% of the electricity consumed by data centers globally, with renewables supplying 27% and natural gas 26%.
Guterres reiterated the UN's urgent calls for climate action to keep global warming below the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit set by the Paris Agreement. He noted positive trends in renewable energy growth, with clean power generation exceeding global electricity demand growth in 2025, and the share of renewables in the global electricity mix surpassing one-third for the first time. However, he criticized the US for its embrace of fossil fuels and reduced support for renewables amid the global energy crisis.