A recent briefing highlights that carbon dioxide emissions from UK data centres may be vastly underestimated, potentially by “hundreds of times.” Data centres, which power cloud computing and digital services, consume significant amounts of electricity, often relying on fossil fuels. Current official estimates of their CO2 emissions appear to be based on outdated or incomplete data, failing to capture the rapid growth and energy intensity of the sector. This underestimation raises concerns about the environmental impact of the digital economy and challenges the UK’s ability to meet its climate targets. Accurate measurement and transparency are critical to addressing this issue, as is transitioning data centres to renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency. The briefing calls for urgent government action to update emissions accounting and implement stricter regulations to curb the digital sector’s carbon footprint.

Published on: 2026-03-25 at 00:15:02