UN Secretary-General Urges Data Centers to Be Powered by Renewable Energy

UN Secretary-General António Guterres

UN Secretary-General Urges Data Centers to Be Powered by Renewable Energy

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on technology companies to power data centers with 100% renewable energy by 2030, as the sector shifts to gas- and coal-fired power plants to meet growing demand.

The Secretary-General outlined his reasoning for why energy-hungry data centers must commit to a clean energy future, emphasizing that the transition to renewable energy is inevitable, even as some countries and companies continue to cling to fossil fuels. "The future is being built in the cloud, powered by the sun and the wind, and by the promise of a better world," Guterres said in a speech at UN Headquarters in New York, according to Reuters.

His appeal to technology companies came a day before US President Donald Trump unveiled his administration's Artificial Intelligence Action Plan, which is expected to include a number of executive actions aimed at easing restrictions on land use and energy production to unleash the development of AI.

Trump declared a national energy emergency to address the massive amounts of energy data centers need to power AI. This was part of his competition with China, and to allow him to ease environmental restrictions to build more gas, coal, and nuclear power plants. The two main economic rivals, the United States and China, are engaged in a technological arms race over who can dominate AI.

Guterres called on governments to develop new national climate plans to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement by September, which would ensure a transition away from fossil fuels. He said this moment represents an opportunity for governments to meet all new electricity demands through renewable energy and to use water sustainably in cooling systems.