USCIB Moderates High-Level Climate Week Event on Decarbonizing Data Centers

Agnes Vinblad (USCIB) moderating the “Decarbonizing Data Centers” event.

USCIB’s Agnes Vinblad, Director, Environment and Sustainable Development, provided opening remarks and moderated the “Decarbonizing Data Centers” high-level event on September 23, as part of New York Climate Week. Convened by the Consulate General of Denmark in New York, and leading Danish companies Grundfos, and Ramboll, the event brought together senior voices from government, industry, and civil society to explore how the global data center industry can meet the rising energy demands of AI and other advanced technologies—while not backtracking on emissions reductions. 

The event featured keynote remarks from Tom Steyer, Co-Executive Chair at Galvanize, and Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix, both of whom emphasized the critical role of cities and climate-focused investment in accelerating the energy transition and promoting resource efficiency. Their remarks set the stage for a dynamic discussion on how data centers and their use of natural resources can evolve responsibly to meet ever-growing energy demands. 

Expert presentations from Grundfos and Ramboll highlighted the importance of industry leadership when it comes to adopting efficient technologies and engineering solutions. Grundfos showcased innovations in water-smart cooling systems, while Ramboll emphasized the importance of integrated design and lifecycle analysis in reducing carbon footprints across data center operations. 

Key themes discussed included: 

• Water-smart cooling technologies and trends. 

• The role of policy in enabling energy innovation. 

• The need for metrics and frameworks to empower operators, developers, and regulators. 

“The environmental resource intensity of AI use and other advanced technologies is a core energy transition challenge of our time – this topic is also increasingly gaining traction in the international climate negotiations,” Vinblad said. “This was an exceptionally timely conversation ahead of COP30, where we expect to see more engagement on AI and the exponential growth of energy demand that it brings,” she concluded.