The Facts

• The International Energy Agency (IEA) has reported that global demand for electricity is expected to increase by 4% in 2024, the third-fastest pace since 2007.

• The analysis published on Friday highlights that record heat waves in 2024 — the warmest year on record worldwide — have driven up air conditioning demand, and that generative artificial intelligence is ramping up data centers' energy needs.The analysis published on Friday highlights that record heat waves in 2024 — the warmest year on record worldwide — have driven up air conditioning demands and that generative artificial intelligence is ramping up data centers' energy needs.

• This comes as the latest sustainability reports from Google's parent company, Alphabet, and Microsoft indicate that energy demands for AI are disrupting their ambitious climate goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.