UN Secretary-General António Guterres launched the AI Environmental Transparency Initiative on June 23, 2026. The program requires major AI companies to disclose carbon emissions, water usage, and land footprint. It also establishes a goal for data centers to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2030.
Projections indicate that data centers could consume 945 terawatt-hours of electricity annually by 2030, accounting for 3% of global demand. AI workloads are expected to represent 40% of this consumption by 2030, compared to 20% of the 448 terawatt-hours estimated for 2025.
The initiative follows a June 2026 report from the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health. Data suggests AI-related water consumption could equal the needs of 1.3 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa, while land usage may exceed 14,500 square kilometers by 2030.
Indirect emissions from major tech firms increased by 150% between 2020 and 2023. While companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta have net-zero commitments, their emissions have risen due to AI infrastructure expansion. The COP31 presidency is now working on the Antalya Pledge on AI to formalize these requirements.
