Climate, AI And People: Shaping The Next Phase Of Sustainable Action

This year at Climate Week at NYC, what struck me was not a single announcement or commitment, but how the centre of gravity has shifted across several debates. A decade ago, energy security discussions focused largely on oil, gas and geopolitical exposure. This year, they centred on transmission, storage and dependable clean power. AI’s disruption moved beyond technology, shaping conversations around electricity infrastructure, and further broadening the questions about its impact on. Corporate climate discussions focused less on targets and more on procurement, governance and capital allocation.

Taken together, these conversations suggested a critical shift. Climate action is increasingly being shaped by the systems, institutions and capabilities that determine not only the scale of the progress, but whether the journey can take people along with it inclusively.

Energy security and climate action are converging

The renewed focus on energy security during Climate Week came as little surprise. The conflict in West Asia reinforced how deeply the global economy remains exposed to fuel markets, shipping routes and geopolitical disruptions. For India, which imports roughly 85 per cent of its crude oil and around half of its LNG requirements, energy security remains an immediate economic priority.

What stood out this year was the prominence of clean energy within those discussions. Questions of energy security increasingly encompassed transmission networks, storage, domestic manufacturing, supply chains and round-the-clock renewable power. Clean energy is being viewed through the lens of national resilience, industrial competitiveness and strategic capability.

AI’s Power Crunch

Its human impact is also becoming visible. Corporate functions that drove AI adoption for productivity are now experiencing changes in their own work, while technical judgement, physical execution and human relationships remain essential.

The Global South’s investment challenge

People at the Centre