Tech Industry Lobbying Secures Secrecy for Data Center Environmental Impact Data in EU Law
By
cyberlimerence
Crisp on the outside, thoughtful on the inside. A keeper.
Summary
Microsoft and DigitalEurope, a lobby group representing major tech companies including Amazon, Google, and Meta, successfully pushed for a secrecy provision in EU law that blocks public access to critical environmental impact data from data centers. As the EU prepares to triple its data center capacity in the next five years, the European Commission began collecting key metrics like energy efficiency and water consumption, but information on individual facilities' environmental footprint is now classified as confidential. Legal experts warn this move could violate transparency rules and prevent public scrutiny of the tech industry's environmental impact.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledMicrosoft and DigitalEurope, a lobby group whose members include Amazon, Google and Meta, secured a secrecy provision in EU law to block public access to critical information on data centres' environmental impact
With the EU set to triple its data centre capacity in the next five years, the European Commission started collecting key metrics like energy efficiency and water consumption from facilities
However, information on individual facilities' footprint is kept secret, after industry pushed to amend the 2024 legislation to classify it as confidential
Environmental footprint of Europe's data centres kept secret after industry lobbying in a move legal experts warn could violate transparency rules
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