\u00a0drawn scrutiny<\/a>\u00a0from environmental groups for their \u200bhigh energy and water use and lack of transparency.<\/p>\n\u201cBy 2030, they could use \u2060more power than all but five countries \u2013 and enough water to meet the basic needs \u200bof all 1.3 billion residents of sub\u2011Saharan Africa for an entire year,\u201d UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres said \u200bat an address during London Climate Action Week.<\/p>\n
He called on AI firms to measure and publicly disclose their water, carbon and land use impacts and commit to powering all data centres with renewable energy by 2030 as \u200bhe launched the U.N.’s AI Environmental Transparency Initiative.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf AI is to help build a better \u200bfuture, it must be honest about what it costs us now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
AI firms are currently relying on voluntary \u200cnet-zero \u2060commitments and renewable electricity targets to decarbonise their operations while many are also turning to gas or touting nuclear as a power source for new projects.<\/p>\n
Guterres said the world remains off track to meet global climate goals and criticised voices calling for more fossil use.<\/p>\n
Read More: <\/strong>Our climate gauntlet and the world’s empty promises<\/a><\/p>\nHe said deploying more \u200brenewable power projects and using \u200bthose to electrify \u2060transport, buildings and industry is among the fastest ways to cut emissions and break reliance on imported fossil fuels.<\/p>\n
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