UNEP Releases Environmental Guidelines for Data Centers

On June 12, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released its “Guidelines for Sustainable Procurement of Data Centers,” which address the surge in energy consumption in data centers brought about by AI and digital development, and propose measures to reduce the environmental impact through green energy use, water recycling, etc. The guidelines note that the size of data centers in developing countries is expected to double by 2040, but relevant environmental regulations are still in place. The guide points out that the size of data centers in developing countries is expected to double by 2040, but relevant environmental regulations are still inadequate, and calls on countries to set energy efficiency standards and promote technological innovation.