Promise or Peril: How AI Is Discussed in International Environmental Negotiations

Articial intelligence (AI) is widely discussed across policy sectors, including global environmental politics. At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2023 (COP28), national governments decided to explore AI’s role in climate solutions and its associated challenges and risks through the #AI4ClimateAction Initiative. In March 2024, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to “seize the opportunities of safe, secure and trustworthy articial intelligence systems” for sustainable development. While AI is emerging as a public policy topic in international environmental negotiations, there is a signicant knowledge gap about the background of AI discussions in the context of environmental politics. Given that the potential impacts of AI on the environment are expected to be signicant in both
positive and negative ways, it is necessary to understand which discourses are guiding the direction of AI discussions within environmental politics. This article investigates how AI is perceived by different actors in global environmental governance, particularly in the elds of climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development. The article expands knowledge about the early stage of AI discussions in environmental politics, showing that AI is generally framed as a positive technology across different elds. The discussion about AI’s negative environmental impact is marginal. This nding reveals that the current frames of AI supported by various narratives in international environmental negotiations are closely associated with techno-optimistic discourses. As the future trajectory of AI depends on how we leverage AI solutions, balanced deliberation on AI and the environment is required to make technology and sustainability walk together.