The United Nations climate conference in Belem, Brazil has become the stage for a dramatic confrontation over artificial intelligence, where the technology is being hailed as both a potential saviour and a significant threat to global climate goals.
The Promise: AI as Climate Solution
Technology companies and several nations at COP30 are actively promoting artificial intelligence as a powerful tool in the fight against global warming. They argue AI can revolutionize multiple sectors critical to reducing emissions. Adam Elman, Google's sustainability director, described AI as "a real enabler" that's already delivering tangible impacts.
The proposed applications are diverse and transformative. AI could optimize electrical grid efficiency, help farmers anticipate weather patterns, track migratory species in deep oceans, and design infrastructure resilient to extreme weather events. Michal Nachmany of Climate Policy Radar, which uses AI to track national climate plans and green energy transitions, noted "unbelievable interest" in AI capabilities at the conference.
Practical implementations are already emerging. Johannes Jacob, representing the German delegation, showcased NegotiateCOP - a prototype app that processes hundreds of official documents to assist smaller delegations from nations like El Salvador, South Africa, and Ivory Coast. This innovation effectively "levels the playing field in negotiations," Jacob explained.
The Peril: AI's Environmental Cost
Climate organizations are raising urgent concerns about AI's expanding environmental footprint. Jean Su, energy justice director at the Center for Biological Diversity, warned that "AI right now is a completely unregulated beast around the world" that could derail Paris Agreement targets.
The environmental impact stems primarily from AI's massive resource demands. Data centers powering AI operations consume enormous amounts of electricity and water. According to International Energy Agency data, data centers accounted for approximately 1.5% of global electricity consumption in 2024, with their energy use growing about 12% annually since 2017 - more than four times faster than total electricity consumption growth.
Su's research reveals additional concerns about water consumption in water-stressed regions and the potential for increased national emissions, particularly in the United States, historically the world's largest polluter.
Finding Balance in AI Regulation
The consensus among both supporters and critics is that artificial intelligence is here to stay. As Nachmany observed, "The potential is huge and the risks are huge as well." This dual nature was echoed by Bjorn-Soren Gigler of the European Commission, who described AI as "often seen as a double-edge sword."
Environmental groups at COP30 are advocating for strict regulations to mitigate AI's environmental impact. Their proposals include mandatory public interest assessments for new data centers and requirements for 100% on-site renewable energy operation.
The conference featured at least 24 AI-related sessions during its first week, covering topics from inter-city energy sharing to forest crime prediction. The inaugural AI for Climate Action Award recognized a project addressing water scarcity and climate variability in Laos, demonstrating the technology's positive potential.
As Nitin Arora of the UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub noted, AI has dominated climate solution discussions since the hub's launch at COP26. With AI's role expanding rapidly at international climate negotiations, the challenge remains harnessing its benefits while implementing necessary safeguards.
