Implementation of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact gathers pace as new industry players join, and the European Commission assesses its first policy paper.
The Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact is a major self-regulatory initiative launched to ensure that the cloud and data centre industry in Europe supports the European goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
Signatories of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact have met with the European Commission to present and assess the first policy paper setting forth the regulatory and policy recommendations needed to build a green cloud and data centre industry for Europe.
The current signatories of the pact represent already 90% of the industry in Europe and most of its key players.
The policy paper, developed at the request of the European Commission, includes a comprehensive set of 19 recommendations. These cover public procurement regulations, from the procurement and development of renewable energies that can be used by the cloud and data centre industry, to supporting the development of circular water and energy management, and recycling in the ICT sector.
These recommendations for the European Union and its Member States should drive faster change towards a climate-neutral cloud and data centre industry in Europe by 2030 – an essential and structural transformation if Europe wants to realise its goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
Signatories of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact have agreed to implement measurable energy efficiency targets, purchase 100% carbon-free energy, prioritise water conservation, reuse and repair servers, and look for ways to recycle heat. The recommendations set forth in this first policy paper highlight how the regulatory and political framework for the ICT industry in Europe should be adapted to facilitate the realisation of these objectives.
About the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact
The Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact establishes a Self Regulatory Initiative which has been developed in co-operation with the European Commission. It supports both the European Green Deal, which aims to make Europe the world’s first climate neutral continent by 2050, and the European Data Strategy by making EU data centres climate neutral by 2030.
The Self Regulatory Initiative sets ambitious goals that will facilitate Europe’s essential transition to a greener economy. It commits signatories to ensuring their data centres are climate neutral by setting ambitious measurable targets for 2025 and 2030 in the following areas:
- Prove energy efficiency with measurable targets
- Purchase 100% carbon-free energy
- Prioritise water conservation
- Reuse and repair servers
- Look for ways to recycle heat
Progress towards achieving climate neutral data centres will be monitored by the European Commission twice a year.
For more details on the new Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, please visit ClimateNeutralDataCentre.net
Source: ClimateNeutralDataCentre.net