Climate change: China’s data centres and telecoms networks in Beijing’s sights as key targets for decarbonisation

China now lists the digital-infrastructure sector alongside traditional heavy-emitting industries when it comes to decarbonisation. Companies are responding to Beijing’s push, with examples including wind-powered data centres and an underwater facility using seawater for cooling. — SCMP

The carbon footprint of China’s digital infrastructure industry is under increased scrutiny, as Beijing adjusts policies and pushes the power-hungry sector to decarbonise in pursuit of the national goal of carbon neutrality by 2060.

China now lists the sector as a key decarbonisation target alongside traditional heavy-emitting industries, and has ordered the country’s data centre operators and telecoms providers to conserve water and electricity, to locate facilities in areas with plentiful renewable energy and to develop lower-power facilities and equipment.