More than One-Third of Organisations Struggle to Meet Climate Targets Amidst AI Sustainability Pressures
A new study by management and technology consultancy BearingPoint has found that while sustainability commitments are now firmly embedded in corporate strategy across industries, many organisations are still struggling to translate those ambitions into measurable environmental progress, with artificial intelligence adding new operational pressures.
The report, “Achieving environmental goals in the AI era: Winning blueprint for sustainable technology,” highlights a widening gap between climate ambition and execution. It finds that nearly all surveyed organisations have either committed to science-based targets or plan to do so under frameworks such as the Science Based Targets initiative, yet more than one-third are already experiencing delays in meeting those commitments.
According to the findings, 95% of companies are committed to science-based climate targets or have structured climate action plans in place, but 37% report setbacks in achieving them. The study also shows that while digital emissions currently account for less than 5% of total corporate emissions for most organisations, this share is expected to rise as AI and data-intensive technologies become more widely adopted.
The report suggests that artificial intelligence is emerging as both a tool for sustainability and a growing source of emissions. AI and advanced analytics can help optimise energy use, improve supply chain efficiency and enhance sustainability reporting, but the energy demands of training and operating large models risk increasing overall consumption if not carefully managed.
Matthias Roeser, global leader for technology at BearingPoint, said many organisations have set ambitious climate targets, but are finding it difficult to turn these commitments into operational reality, noting that AI is reshaping the sustainability challenge by simultaneously enabling progress and increasing pressure on emissions management.
The study also highlights structural and governance challenges within organisations. Only 36% of businesses have fully integrated their technology and sustainability strategies, with aligned key performance indicators supporting environmental goals. In addition, CIOs and CTOs are often not central to sustainability decision-making, with 40% reportedly not involved and only 20% co-developing climate targets at executive level.
Data and tooling gaps are also identified as significant barriers. Just 33% of respondents say they have sufficient supplier data to credibly commit to emissions reduction targets, while half report lacking adequate tools to manage sustainability effectively. Despite this, 67% of organisations believe that dedicated ESG platforms, rather than existing enterprise resource planning or business intelligence systems, will become the preferred solution by 2030.
The report argues that the role of technology leadership must evolve from traditional green IT approaches, such as improving data centre efficiency, towards a broader responsibility in enabling sustainable digital transformation. This includes embedding sustainability into technology strategy, improving measurement of digital emissions, and integrating environmental criteria into AI and portfolio management decisions.
Rémy Sergent, global leader for people and strategy at BearingPoint, said AI could become one of the most powerful enablers of sustainability if deployed responsibly, but stressed the need for stronger collaboration between technology leaders, sustainability teams and senior executives. He added that CIOs and CTOs are increasingly expected to move beyond green IT and take a leading role in driving sustainable technology transformation.
The findings suggest that while digital innovation offers significant potential to accelerate environmental progress, organisations will need stronger governance, better data and more integrated leadership structures to ensure that technological advancement supports rather than undermines climate objectives.
