Data centres' growing environmental challenge: mapping the global regulatory response

Data centres are expanding at breakneck speed, driving economic growth but also straining electricity grids, water supplies and climate commitments. Their energy consumption already rivals that of major economies and could double within the decade. Governments across the OECD are scrambling to respond, from Ireland’s moratorium on new connections to Germany’s efficiency mandates. Yet the regulatory landscape remains fragmented and reactive. This live tracker maps the evolving patchwork of policies shaping how countries balance digital growth with environmental sustainability.