AI data center construction is putting serious pressure on US carbon targets. Sierra Club estimates that by 2030 these facilities could produce more than 460 million tons of CO2 per year, roughly equal to Mexico's annual emissions. The group now sees total US power sector emissions reaching 2.1 billion metric tons by the end of the decade, about 42 percent higher than 2025 levels. The jump is driven by plans to power large computing sites with natural gas, either through existing grids or new gas plants. Forecasts still carry a lot of uncertainty. How many data centers actually get built, what hardware goes inside them, and how much renewable capacity can be connected will all decide the final number. The article is a useful reminder that AI's electricity demand is becoming a climate policy issue, not just a tech supply story.
