Tech giants see emissions surge 150 percent in 3 years amid AI boom: UN

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🗞️ Driving the news: Operational carbon emissions from the world’s leading tech companies surged by an average of 150% between 2020 and 2023, according to a new UN report
• The rise is attributed to soaring energy demands from AI development, cloud computing, and data centres
• Amazon recorded the sharpest increase at 182%, followed by Microsoft (155%), Meta (145%) and Alphabet (138%), as disclosed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

🔭 The context: The findings highlight the environmental costs of rapid digital expansion, particularly following major AI breakthroughs since 2020
• Electricity use by data centres alone has increased 12% annually since 2017, becoming a major contributor to the carbon footprint of digital services
• Despite this trend, most AI-related energy consumption remains unregulated and undisclosed, complicating mitigation efforts

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Without intervention, emissions from AI systems alone could reach over 100 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually, threatening climate targets
• The sector’s growing energy demand — especially from data centres — places further pressure on already strained power grids, many of which still rely heavily on fossil fuels
• The absence of transparency and regulatory frameworks for AI-related emissions presents a significant blind spot in global decarbonisation efforts

⏭️ What's next: As digital demand rises, governments and regulators may need to develop standards for AI-related emissions reporting and energy efficiency
• Industry leaders are likely to face increasing scrutiny from investors and climate watchdogs, potentially accelerating shifts to clean energy procurement and hardware optimisation
• The ITU’s findings could also influence multilateral climate discussions, especially in forums focused on digital sustainability and infrastructure

💬 One quote: “Advances in digital innovation – especially AI – are driving up energy consumption and global emissions,” — Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU

📈 One stat: In 2024, power-hungry digital companies consumed 581 TWh of electricity, accounting for 2.1% of global electricity demand — a figure expected to climb sharply in coming years

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and their peers including Apple, IBM, and Nvidia

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