Economic Survey Highlights Irony in Developed Nations' AI Push and Carbon Tax Policies

It'd be comedy if not real &tragic:Eco Survey as AI-race spurs energy need in emission-aware nations

"It would be a comedy if it were not real and tragic", quipped the Survey, noting that even as developed nations prepare to impose a carbon tax at the border on imports coming into their countries laden with carbon, they are ramping up energy demand like never before, thanks to obsession with letting AI "guide, take over and dominate natural intelligence". "Demand-side management (DSM) has traditionally been recognised as a significant intervention to reduce energy demand. It is an ultimate irony that even as developed nations obsess over prospective emissions from the developing world, the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence is going to result in the demand for power to expand to levels not seen in decades in America," it said citing industry reports. A case in point, it said, is one of the leading global technology companies that promised to achieve net zero by 2030 at the turn of the decade. "But, the race to dominate the emerging technology of Artificial Intelligence has caused its emissions to be higher by 30 per cent by 2023," it said. It further noted that in a research report published in April, analysts in Goldman Sachs wrote that the demand for power in the US would experience a growth not seen in a generation, thanks to AI and that transmission, one of the major bottlenecks for clean energy transition, and the addition of data centres and AI could exacerbate this. The Economic Survey went on to say that these developments should convince any reasonable reader that the developed world has not only tied itself into knots but is also contributing - wittingly or otherwise - to deepening and entrenching poverty and inequality in developing and consigning them to perpetual underdeveloped status by coercing them into prioritising emissions over their economies. "Developed countries, having relied on a fossil fuel-based growth strategy for the past two centuries to reach where they are today, seek ambitious cuts in emissions from developing countries, pushing them to adopt policy measures, instruments and production and energy systems that are distinctly different from the carbon-emitting traditional strategies that fuelled the growth of the former," the Economic Survey said. PTI MBI ANZ MBI SHW

It'd be comedy if not real & tragic: Economic Survey as AI-race spurs energy need in emission-aware nations

The Economic Survey criticised developed nations for pressuring developing countries to reduce emissions while their own AI adoption drives a surge in energy demands, calling it a tragic comedy. The survey highlighted the irony of developed nations focusing on prospective emissions from developing countries while increasing their own energy consumption through AI. This obsession with AI risks exacerbating inequality and poverty in developing countries by prioritizing emissions over economic growth. It would be comedy if not real and tragic, the Economic Survey said on Monday calling out the obsession of developed nations to dictate emissions reductions to developing countries while their own use of AI is driving a surge in emissions. The survey drew attention to an "ultimate irony" on the issue and noted that developed nations are obsessing over prospective emissions from the developing world, even as widespread adoption and race for AI is poised to push up their energy demands like never before. "It would be a comedy if it were not real and tragic", quipped the Survey, noting that even as developed nations prepare to impose a carbon tax at the border on imports coming into their countries laden with carbon, they are ramping up energy demand like never before, thanks to obsession with letting AI "guide, take over and dominate natural intelligence". "Demand-side management (DSM) has traditionally been recognised as a significant intervention to reduce energy demand. It is an ultimate irony that even as developed nations obsess over prospective emissions from the developing world, the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence is going to result in the demand for power to expand to levels not seen in decades in America," it said citing industry reports. A case in point, it said, is one of the leading global technology companies that promised to achieve net zero by 2030 at the turn of the decade. "But, the race to dominate the emerging technology of Artificial Intelligence has caused its emissions to be higher by 30 per cent by 2023," it said. It further noted that in a research report published in April, analysts in Goldman Sachs wrote that the demand for power in the US would experience a growth not seen in a generation, thanks to AI and that transmission, one of the major bottlenecks for clean energy transition, and the addition of data centres and AI could exacerbate this. The Economic Survey went on to say that these developments should convince any reasonable reader that the developed world has not only tied itself into knots but is also contributing - wittingly or otherwise - to deepening and entrenching poverty and inequality in developing and consigning them to perpetual underdeveloped status by coercing them into prioritising emissions over their economies. "Developed countries, having relied on a fossil fuel-based growth strategy for the past two centuries to reach where they are today, seek ambitious cuts in emissions from developing countries, pushing them to adopt policy measures, instruments and production and energy systems that are distinctly different from the carbon-emitting traditional strategies that fuelled the growth of the former," the Economic Survey said.

Developed nations imposing carbon tax, even as their energy demand is rising due to AI: Economic Survey

Attacking developed countries for imposing a carbon tax at the border on imports from developing nations, the Economic Survey, which was tabled in Parliament on Monday, said this is happening even as the latter is ramping up energy demand due to its "obsession" with Artificial Intelligence (AI). "Not only have development goals been downgraded in the process of elevation of containing global emissions to the pinnacle of all economic policies, but developing nations are also being threatened with a carbon tax at the border, in full negation of the spirit of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective national capabilities that was supposed to have undergirded the Paris Agreement," the Economic Survey for FY24 said. It would be a comedy if it were not real and tragic, it added. "Even as developed nations prepare to impose a carbon tax at the border on imports coming into their countries laden with carbon, they are ramping up energy demand like never before, thanks to their obsession with letting AI guide, take over and dominate natural intelligence," the survey said. For instance, it said that one of the leading global technology companies promised to achieve Net Zero by 2030 at the turn of the decade. But, the race to dominate the emerging technology of AI has caused its emissions to be higher by 30 per cent by 2023. Spike in power demand In a research report published in April, analysts in Goldman Sachs wrote that the demand for power in the US would experience a growth not seen in a generation, thanks to AI and that "transmission, one of the major bottlenecks for clean energy transition, and the addition of data centres and AI could exacerbate this". "However, these developments should convince any reasonable reader that the developed world has not only tied itself into knots but is also contributing -- wittingly or otherwise -- to deepening and entrenching poverty and inequality in developing countries and consigning them (developing countries) to perpetual underdeveloped status by coercing them into prioritising emissions over their economies," the survey rued. Developed countries, having relied on a fossil fuel-based growth strategy for the past two centuries to reach where they are today, seek ambitious cuts in emissions from developing countries, pushing them to adopt policy measures, instruments and production and energy systems that are distinctly different from the carbon-emitting traditional strategies that fuelled the growth of the former. The fact that these novel pathways are untested is apparent from the recent deliberations of the G7 countries on ending the use of unabated coal power plants only in the first half of 2030, even when their carbon emissions peaked several decades ago. "Japan and Germany did not agree to this. In contrast, Germany has written into its legislation a final target to shut coal plants by 2038, while Japan has yet to set a date. This is a recipe for intra and international conflicts," it added. SHARE Copy linkEmailFacebookTwitterTelegramLinkedInWhatsAppRedditPublished on July 22, 2024