AI companies should release environmental impact: UN chief
AI companies should release environmental impact: UN chief
Publish Date: 2026-06-23 09:13:00
Source Domain: www.bnnbloomberg.ca
Here is a summary of the article with 6 key points, using an unordered list:
- AI’s Dual Role: AI poses both security risks for businesses and the potential to be used as a defensive tool. Amanda Lang discussed these aspects with Jeremy Koppen, Global Chief Information Security Officer at Equifax, highlighting the need for smart business practices in leveraging AI.
- UN’s Call on AI’s Environmental Impact: UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged AI companies during London Climate Action Week to be transparent about the carbon pollution, water, and land they use. He launched the AI Environmental Transparency Initiative to measure and disclose the environmental impact of AI growth.
- AI Demand and Emissions Worry: As the deployment of AI accelerates, greenhouse gas emissions from data centers have surged. Coal powers about 30% of the global electricity consumed by data centers, while renewables such as wind and solar meet about 53% of the demand over the next five years.
- AI’s Environmental Concerns: The environmental footprint of AI infrastructure is significant, with water, energy use, and pollution doubling within four years. Data centers required to fuel AI will account for nearly 3% of global projected electricity use by 2030, raising concerns about environmental transparency.
- UN’s Call for Global Action: Guterres emphasized the need for major emitters to accelerate climate action, reduce methane emissions, and decrease reliance on fossil fuels. He called for over-delivery on climate commitments to protect the planet’s warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
- Renewables’ Gains and Climate Progress: While renewable energy is making gains globally, driven by technologies like solar and wind, challenges remain. Countries like the U.S. have reduced clean energy support, contrasting with global trends, as Guterres likens the current energy crisis to “A Tale of Two Crises.”
