Webinar highlights “cognitive dissonance” around ecological costs of data centers

Webinar highlights “cognitive dissonance” around ecological costs of data centers

iku

Fri, 09/18/2026 - 10:38

A webinar hosted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Canadian Council of Churche on 17 September brought forth voices on the topic “ Counting the Ecological Cost of AI - Data Centres, Water, Energy, and Critical Mineral Extraction."

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Water quality sampling and inspection inside the Kumurana Mine near Caiza D, Bolivia.

Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth

Rev. Dr Jessica Hetherington, who serves on the WCC Climate Justice and Sustainable Development Commission, opened the session. “ I ’ m witnessing a cognitive dissonance: a disconnect between the evidence and the way people want things to be,” she said.

Rev. Glen Chebon Kernell, a member of the Seminole Nation, is the executive director of the Native American Comprehensive Plan of the United Methodist Church-USA and is a member of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs.

He spoke about the earth as the original mother, and how the advancement of AI is problematic. “ I belong to her and she is my first mother,” he said. “…