Topic: 2025 – Artificial Intelligence and Resource Consumption
Country: South Africa
Delegate Name: Lydia Harlan
Country: South Africa
Delegate: Lydia Harlan
School: Williamston
Committee: UNEP
Topic: Artificial Intelligence and Resource Consumption
As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) increases, it consumes more resources in various ways. The resources are primarily used for data centers to store information and run servers, especially for chatbots like ChatGPT. One prompt for a chatbot is equal to ten times the amount of energy a regular Google search uses. This increases the use of energy by significant amounts, using more resources to create more energy. These AI centers also require the production of materials that utilize rare minerals and other raw resources, which in turn produce large amounts of harmful particle matter and greenhouse gases. The servers also require cooling, power, and process data using large quantities of water, which has led to issues such as water shortages, especially during droughts, and this will only increase in the future if something is not done.
As South Africa is an emerging economy hoping to take a bigger place on the global stage, South Africa is looking to expand its use of technologies and Artificial Intelligence to grow its economy and develop its country. South Africa has taken many initiatives to take a step back from the development of technology in the country, supporting self-sufficiency through councils like the BBBEE ICT, PC4IR, and other similar ideas. South Africa is a regional tech hub with companies like Amazon and Microsoft for supply bases and infrastructure for other countries. Private companies have supported investments in various areas, including data centers and educational programs. Specifically for AI, South Africa has the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South America (AIISA), which strives for research and development of AI and practical applications of AI. South Africa, although it supports the development of AI, supports the limited use of national water and electricity, especially with its low rainfall and other freshwater sources; however, it has not yet set specific legislation for this.
In the future, South Africa plans to enact legislation to prevent the mass use of natural resources. South Africa also plans to continue with their current programs, councils, and other systems to build up the AI and technology industry. South Africa aims to balance the development of AI and the economy while protecting its natural resources, but supporting strategic mining projects, a government cloud, and more projects to support AI. South Africa would also like to increase the amount of private investments in the country and has been changing focus to better align with the environment. South Africa plans to utilize AI to address water scarcity and distribution as well. Overall, South Africa stands between the need to protect its freshwater and natural resources and building its economy through innovation, which can drain those resources. Still, South Africa believes that both can be done despite the differences through thoughtful legislation. This bill would limit the amount of resources used and waste produced. It would also put boundaries on where the resource-consuming companies could be putting drier, arid parts of land off-limits to prevent further droughts. Still, South Africa knows this is a global effort and is looking to work with many countries to solve this pressing issue.
https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/data-centers-and-water-consumption
https://www.ece.cmu.edu/news-and-events/story/2025/08/water-efficiency.html
https://unric.org/en/artificial-intelligence-how-much-energy-does-ai-use/
https://www.ensafrica.com/news/detail/10304/ai-and-water-systems-conservation-tool-or-res
https://ainowinstitute.org/publications/reflections-on-south-africas-ai-industrial-policy#footnote-list-4
