Big Tech and green groups meet to discuss the future of data centres in the US

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🗞️ Driving the news: Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, Nvidia and Anthropic are joining environmental organisations to develop national guidelines for data centres in the US
• The Responsible Data Center Collaborative aims to address the environmental and community impacts of AI infrastructure, with discussions scheduled to continue until February 2027

🔭 The context: The group includes the Natural Resources Defense Council, WWF and Sierra Club, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and Invest in Our Future
• Its agenda covers energy consumption, water resources, infrastructure, community engagement, economic benefits, transparency and accountability
• The talks come amid growing public opposition: more than 100 organisations across 15 European countries are protesting against large-scale data-centre expansion, while US communities are also challenging new projects.

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Data centres are placing growing demands on electricity grids and water supplies
• According to the International Energy Agency, global data-centre electricity consumption increased by 17% in 2025 and could nearly double by 2030
• If expansion relies on fossil-fuel power generation and water-intensive cooling, it could increase emissions, strain local resources and raise costs for surrounding communities

⏭️ What’s next: The collaborative plans to continue discussions through February 2027, with the goal of agreeing on practical national guidelines

💬 One quote: The group's discussion rules encourage participants to “attack problems, not people.”

📈 One stat: Global data-centre electricity consumption is projected to rise from 485 TWh in 2025 to 950 TWh by 2030, according to the IEA

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