Microsoft Cloud reposted this
We all depend on water to survive and as such we recognize that Microsoft has a responsibility to protect freshwater resources in high stress regions where we operate across the globe. Microsoft believes those who can do more, should. And this applies to all of our sustainability goals, including water. And that is why in 2020 Microsoft set an ambitious goal to be Water Positive by 2030. Since then, we have been working diligently to ensure we are making progress against our 5 key pillars: reduce, replenish, increase access, innovate, and advocate. Today, I am excited to share some FY23 highlights from the water section of Microsoft's Environmental Sustainability report: ➡ We achieved our water access target and have provided more than 1.5 million people with access to clean water and sanitation services. ➡We doubled our water replenishment portfolio, increasing it to 49 projects, which are estimated to provide more than 25 million m3 in volumetric benefit over the lifetime of these projects (enough to fill about 10,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools). ➡We are finding ways to accelerate progress further and faster using AI, including a partnership with FIDO Tech to reduce water loss from leaks in water distribution networks in London (England), Querétaro (Mexico), and Phoenix, Arizona (United States). ➡We are reducing our water use intensity and are on track to achieve our 40% target across Microsoft's datacenter operations by 2030. We have also announced that new AI datacenters that are designed and optimized to support AI workloads will consume zero water for cooling. ➡We have made a $25 million anchor investment in WaterEquity's Climate & Water Resilience Fund, which will focus exclusively on scaling climate-resilient water and sanitation infrastructure in the Global South. ➡We published a white paper on replenishment to provide more clarity and transparency on our target and strategy and have integrated environmental justice into our program, an ongoing journey. ✳ If you are curious to learn more about our water positive goal and other sustainability goals, check out the report! https://lnkd.in/eU_9s9Dp #MSSustainability #MSFTAdvocate
Such inspiring work, Eliza Roberts, Paulina Concha Larrauri and your team. Microsoft provides such an incredible example for authentic and impactful water stewardship across its value chain—one we can all learn from!
Thanks Eliza. This is amazing work by Microsoft and I can’t begin to tell you how proud we are to be a part of it. Hard to believe that our partnership only began in 2023 and we have already made it into your Environmental Sustainability Report. With Microsoft’s support, in 2023 FIDO’s AI-enabled acoustic leak analysis started replenishing water in London, Phoenix and Mexico. Over their 10-year lifetime, these three projects will help Microsoft achieve a huge uptick in projected volumetric water replenishment but, even more importantly, the additional water availability, security and equity that ensues will unlock social and economic outcomes for all. FIDO AI quickly finds hidden leaks by size on pipeline networks, making it easier for local water utilities to repair the largest first and get quantified results. The verified volumetric benefits we report include water saved and the associated reduction in greenhouse gases. And this really is just the start. Our verified data opens up a whole world of possibilities. And this year … well, let’s just say Colorado river basin and Water United.
Troy Green
3w
Artificial Intelligence is the pinnacle achievement of the 21st century, whose integration into the development and advancement of civilization is apparent but fully yet to be actualized. However, the increased consumption of water resources by between 4.2 and 6.6 billion m3 by 2027 (nearly half of the yearly water consumption of the UK) is one of the costs of this technological advancement, which in the current environment of water shortages is concerning. Companies like Microsoft must be applauded for providing water-stressed regions with healthy water, exercising water conservation methods (within their operations), and upholding environmentally conscious and sustainable practices to transition into a Water Positive future. The announcement of AI support data centers that consume zero water for cooling is promising, as is its collaboration with FIDO Tech. But more can be done. Thanks, Eliza Roberts, for your transparent article. We hope that others within the tech industry follow suit and work towards a Water Positive reality.
Terry Paule
1mo
Amazing work and leading the way. 👏💧
We are so excited to see these FY23 highlights from Microsoft's Environmental Sustainability report 👏
Enormous prospects are expected with immense investment in the future for Water positive with all data centers connected to AI and having common global sustainable goals to diminish carbon, focus on zero waste and of course conserving ecosystems with a circular economy and accomplish customer goals. Good Point. Water replenishment !
Drew Wilkinson
1mo
Thank you doing this incredibly challenging but important work, it’s lighting the way for others
Kevin Mercer
1mo
Eliza Roberts great report and love the water replenishment project. Would appreciate connecting with you to discuss a prop/fin tech project we're a member of in the global south to determine how Microsoft and your office can get involved.
Water Sustainability Program Manager @ Amazon Web Services (AWS)
1moEliza Roberts. There are ethical questions in the industry being raised on whether it is proper that big tech should offset DC water use on the basis of WASH projects in marginalized and deprived regions of the world. The science also does not back this approach because water access and supply is a watershed scale problem. That said this is exceptional work. Keep it up!