The COP31 climate summit places the technology sector at the center of sustainability discussions, demanding transparency and the use of renewable sources in the face of high energy consumption by data centers.
The unchecked acceleration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has reached a new level of global concern. With COP31 approaching, set to take place in November in Turkey, the climate impact caused by the energy demand of servers and data centers has become a top priority for authorities attending Climate Week in New York.
The conference president, Turkish Minister Murat Kurum, has taken a firmer stance against the so-called Big Tech companies. According to the official, the event will serve as a benchmark for demanding climate accountability, requiring technology sector companies not only to disclose their real electricity consumption volumes but also to fully migrate their operations to low-carbon energy sources.
The Infrastructure Challenge and UN Pressure
The debate is urgent: estimates indicate that electricity consumption solely for AI could double by 2030, reaching 945 TWh – a level comparable to the energy needs of hundreds of millions of homes worldwide. This scenario creates regulatory friction, as seen in New York, where new data center constructions were temporarily halted to prevent the collapse of the local grid.
The UN Executive Secretary for Climate Change, Simon Stiell, emphasized that technological growth cannot come at the cost of overloading electrical grids or the intensive use of fossil fuels.
“Big Tech needs to start demonstrating why the benefits of AI outweigh its exorbitant costs – for the majority, not just a select few.”
Global Contradictions and Expectations for COP31
Although the COP31 agenda focuses on electrification and resilience, the conference will face the challenge of dealing with its own hosts. Reports from the Climate Action Tracker indicate that both Turkey and Australia – co-presidents of the summit – maintain considerable reliance on fossil fuels, creating a paradox between official discourse and the reality of their power generation infrastructure.
Expectations for the meeting in Antalya are that practical solutions, through pilot projects of responsible AI, will begin to guide the sector’s future. The success of these initiatives will be crucial in aligning digital innovation with global decarbonization goals, preventing technological advancement from compromising the energy transition envisioned for future generations.
