Published: June 4, 2026 ⢠5:30 PM IST · Updated: June 6, 2026 ⢠6:17 AM ISTBy TheBriefWire Editorial Team
Key points
Data centres, the global infrastructure powering AI, could consume 945 terawatt-hours of electricity annually by 2030 ā nearly triple the combined annual electricity use of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria, countries collectively home to more than 650 million people.
However, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
On top of the carbon footprint, every unit of electricity used by data centres also carries a āwater footprintā for cooling and energy production, and a āland footprintā associated with power generation and supply chains.
Rethinking how sustainability is measured According to a new study from UN University (UNU), AI-related water consumption could equal the basic annual domestic needs of 1.3 billion people by the end of the decade, while its land footprint may exceed 14,500 square kilometres ā roughly twice the size of the Jakarta metropolitan area.