UN Report Warns AI Could Double Electricity Use by 2030

New Delhi, June 5 — Artificial intelligence could double its electricity consumption by 2030, accounting for about 3% of global power use and generating greenhouse gas emissions comparable to those of the United Kingdom, according to a United Nations report.

The report also warned that AI systems could place growing pressure on water supplies, with cooling needs potentially exceeding the annual drinking water requirements of the world’s population.

The U.N. said AI’s rapid expansion could trigger what is known as the “Jevons paradox,” in which efficiency improvements lower costs and lead to greater overall resource consumption rather than reduced use.

The concept was first identified by economist William Stanley Jevons in 19th-century England, when improvements in coal efficiency made coal cheaper to use, ultimately driving higher demand. The report said a similar pattern could emerge with AI as cheaper and more efficient models encourage new uses and higher volumes of activity, offsetting gains from technological improvements.

To avoid that outcome, the report called for a responsible AI roadmap built around transparency, efficiency by design, equity and justice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation and sustainable use.

According to the report, data centers consumed as much electricity last year as Saudi Arabia. If their electricity use doubles by 2030, the resulting carbon footprint would require 6.7 billion trees grown over 10 years to offset, the U.N. said.

The report estimated that data centers could require about 9.3 trillion liters of water and nearly 10 times the land area of Mexico City to support projected growth.

It also warned of a widening digital and environmental divide. Only 32 countries host AI-specific cloud infrastructure, with 90% of that capacity located in the United States and China. Countries consuming AI services could face a disproportionate environmental burden from mineral extraction, energy demand and electronic waste, the report said.

The U.N. urged routine environmental disclosures at both the model and task level and said responsible AI will require governance across the full value chain, from mineral sourcing to recycling and safe disposal. (Source: IANS)