AI’s enormous potential is rising at rapid speeds as a tool that uses innovative problem solving to help accelerate climate action, advance conservation, and uphold the SDGs. With this exciting frontier of digital development also comes with a reality we must address in parallel: As AI scales, so does its environmental footprint. High demands of energy and water causing environmental pressures for growing data centers is a grave concern as communities and ecosystems around the world feel its impact growing. So how do we address it as a tool that can help tackle climate change and the planetary crisis while also ensuring AI is sustainable itself? On 23 September, UNDP, the German Environment Agency (UBA), GeSI and the Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES) will bring together governments, UN agencies, industry, civil society, Indigenous representatives and other stakeholders for a roundtable on: 🌍 AI and the Planet: Building Sustainable AI We will collaborate to address how best to: + Align AI governance with environmental and sustainable development goals + Push for responsible AI for mutual growth in climate, nature and human development + Mitigate the environmental footprint and ethics of AI and digital infrastructure + Build partnerships and commitments ahead of COP31 and beyond As implementation of the Global Digital Compact and responsible AI frameworks moves forward, this is an important opportunity to connect digital transformation with a sustainable and equitable future. 📅 23 September | 09:00–11:30 NY Time 📍 UNDP, New York | In-person by invitation 💻 Virtual participation available via link https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/336961602877605?p=zXlygEVfzNJGlM2wnm We must ask beyond what AI can do for the planet — but rather what kind of AI ecosystem do we need to uphold and construct for the future? More information on CODES community and its mission: www.codes.global