The Legal Landscape of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainability

Abstract

The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability presents a transformative opportunity to address some of the urgent environmental challenges of our time. From optimizing energy consumption and improving agricultural practices to enhancing climate monitoring and protecting biodiversity, AI-driven technologies are increasingly integral to environmental governance and sustainable development. However, this technological integration introduces a complex array of legal, ethical, and governance challenges. These include questions of data privacy, algorithmic bias, intellectual property, and the equitable distribution of AI benefits. If left unregulated, the use of AI in environmental contexts risks reinforcing structural inequalities, infringing on human rights, and exacerbating environmental injustices, especially for marginalized communities and countries in the Global South.

This chapter explores the legal dimensions of deploying AI in sustainability initiatives, with a particular focus on ethical oversight, cross-border regulatory harmonization, and the need for inclusive governance structures. It critically examines the potential for AI to both support and undermine environmental justice, highlighting the risks of surveillance-based monitoring, disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations, and the widening of global technological divides. The chapter concludes with a set of actionable policy recommendations, advocating for legal innovations such as AI-specific environmental legislation, ethical certification schemes, open-source mandates, and participatory legal frameworks. These proposals aim to embed equity, transparency, and sustainability into the core of AI governance. By future-proofing environmental law and fostering multilateral cooperation, policymakers can ensure that AI becomes a force for ecological resilience and social good rather than a driver of harm.