Data centre environmental regulations: OECD policy tracker

Data centres' explosive growth is overwhelming electricity grids and prompting a wave of new environmental regulations. We're tracking the patchwork of policies emerging across OECD countries as governments scramble to balance digital growth with climate commitments.

Background

The explosive growth of data centres around the world is imposing huge new demands for electricity on systems already struggling with aging grids and the demands of the energy transition. In existing hotspots like the US, Ireland and parts of Germany, this surge in power demands is producing a surge in fossil fuel electricity production, as data centre operators seek to grab the cheapest, most readily available power source, often regardless of their own past climate commitments. On the ground, many local communities are starting to protest against the extraordinary water and energy demands of hyperscale data centres.

Governments at local, regional and national levels are starting to respond to these concerns, but, as yet, regulations and policies are a patchwork of different approaches at different levels. The danger is that this piecemeal and variable approach creates space for data centre operators to work around, whilst learning and applying best practice elsewhere is difficult as a result of this policy fragmentation.

What's covered in this tracker?

This resource captures and summarises the main elements of the emerging environmental policy and regulatory framework around data centres, focusing on climate and electricity use, across the OECD group of countries. This will be a live document, updated on a regular basis, in the hope of capturing the changing picture and providing a useful tool for policymakers, researchers and campaigners alike.