{"id":9681,"date":"2025-11-11T13:43:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T18:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdgnews.com\/?p=9681"},"modified":"2025-11-11T13:43:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T18:43:13","slug":"taking-climate-change-seriously-means-offsetting-your-ai-footprint-scott-lane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sdgnews.com\/es\/taking-climate-change-seriously-means-offsetting-your-ai-footprint-scott-lane\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking climate change seriously means offsetting your AI footprint – Scott Lane"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve missed the 1.5\u00b0C climate target, says the UN\u2019s Secretary-General. Devastating consequences are now \u201cinevitable\u201d (The Guardian<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to the climate debate, there\u2019s been a fixation on prevention, as governments and businesses scramble to make up for decades of damage. But the reality is that we must now begin to adapt to the consequences of a warming climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Effective global adaptation to climate change hinges on ensuring all nations have the capacity to respond \u2013 to build climate resilience, whilst warding off further damage to the climate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet while AI can accelerate climate action, it also contributes to the problem. Training and running large models consumes vast amounts of energy, and global AI-related water use is projected to reach up to 6.6 billion cubic meters by 2027 (Li, Peng et al<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, it also risks entrenching a pre-existing divide: the gulf between higher- and lower-income nations. Ownership of the most powerful AI models rests with wealthy nations and Big Tech firms \u2013 leaving them better positioned to harness AI’s benefits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ironic, given that it\u2019s lower-income countries that face the brunt of climate change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developing countries need more than just access to AI. They need people who can use it. Regional AI labs and local training programmes would help nations create their own climate solutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it shouldn\u2019t be governments and non-profits that foot the bill. It should be the private sector: the AI developers, chipmakers, and large-scale users. It should be embedded in corporate ESG strategies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of it as a way to offset the environmental impact of their own AI use. Just as businesses purchase carbon credits and plant trees, private-sector firms should embed funding for AI initiatives in developing countries into their sustainability strategies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Big Tech and AI developers bear the greatest responsibility, every business using AI has a role to play. Offsetting AI\u2019s impact isn\u2019t just good ethics. It\u2019s good business. It signals to consumers and investors alike that you understand the cost of innovation \u2013 and you\u2019re willing to take accountability for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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