AI dominates Climate Week as energy worries grow

AI has become a central topic at New York Climate Week, where investors, policymakers, advocates and journalists are weighing its promise against its growing energy footprint. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that AI could help address climate instability and displacement, or make those problems worse.

The debate is unfolding as climate targets look increasingly difficult to reach. A UN Environment Program report said the world has nearly passed the point where warming can be kept below 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels, increasing pressure to cut greenhouse-gas emissions quickly and expand carbon removal.

AI demand is drawing more money and attention to energy technologies, with nuclear, geothermal, wind and solar startups signing deals with companies including Google and Meta to power data centers. Currence data showed global climate-tech VC investment in the first half of 2026 was 55% higher than last year, though carbon management and low-carbon fuels have seen investment fall.

Data centers are also driving higher emissions at Microsoft, Google and Meta, while new natural-gas plants are being built to meet near-term power needs. Public resistance is growing around pollution and noise, and UN climate chief Simon Stiell said tech leaders must prove AI’s benefits outweigh its rising costs.