Published on 6/24/2026
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Last update: 14:20 (Mecca time)
The western European continent is experiencing a heat wave sweeping a number of its countries. This heat wave coincides with renewed controversy regarding climate change, but a new element was added to the equation this year related to the consumption of electricity and water by artificial intelligence companies, which raises the cost and consequences.
The record heat wave caused the death of dozens and led to the closure of prominent tourist sites, most notably the Eiffel Tower in the French capital, Paris.
A report prepared by Shaima Abu Zeid indicates that temperatures have reached record levels, exceeding the 40 degree Celsius barrier in several European capitals, including the Spanish capital, Madrid, whose road signs registered 41 degrees Celsius.
High temperatures resulted in the death of 40 people in France, amid a government alert to take precautionary measures to limit the effects of this climate crisis.
In light of these developments, the British Crown Prince, Prince William, stated that the planet Earth does not have enough time for slow change, stressing that the current responsibility lies in the immediate collective response to address the climate challenges that threaten environmental stability.
Warnings about the environmental impact of artificial intelligence
In conjunction with the heat wave in Western Europe, technology leaders and politicians gathered at the Davos Summer Forum in the Chinese city of Dalian issued warnings regarding the future of the planet, as technical development and artificial intelligence data centers were at the forefront of environmental concerns due to their intensive consumption of energy and water resources.
A report issued by the United Nations University Institute for Water and Environment revealed figures showing that the electricity consumption of artificial intelligence data centers may reach approximately one thousand terawatt-hours annually.
The crisis does not stop at energy borders, but extends to the water sector, as the volume of consumption of these centers for cooling purposes is equivalent to the household consumption of about 1.3 billion people by the end of the current decade.
Water consumption
According to the report, a recent study revealed that the consumption of water allocated to cooling artificial intelligence servers is increasing rapidly, and is expected to exceed 3.2 billion cubic meters annually by 2028.
The study expected that the volume of water used in this sector would reach 7 billion cubic meters by 2027, which is equivalent to half the volume of water consumption in Britain.
It is estimated that data centers consume between 1 and 9 liters of water for every kilowatt-hour of energy used. In 2023, giant data centers consumed 29 million cubic meters of water, most of which evaporated and only 6 million cubic meters returned to ecosystems, knowing that 78% of this water is suitable for drinking.
International calls
These environmental conditions prompted United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to issue an invitation to major artificial intelligence companies, demanding that they fully disclose the environmental impact of their technical systems.
Guterres stressed the importance of these companies’ commitment to operating data centers with full reliance on renewable energy by 2030. He said that the international community refuses to burden the less capable groups with the burdens of climate change, stressing the importance of working transparently to ensure that artificial intelligence contributes to building a better future.
