Tech industry, assemble! In a historic pledge toward climate neutrality by 2030, Equinix has joined other European cloud and data centre providers, as well as European trade associations to form the Climate Neutral Data Centre Operator Pact and Self-Regulatory Initiative.

The Climate Neutral Data Centre Operator Pact marks the first time the industry has come together to solidify its commitment to ensure that European data centres are carbon neutral by 2030.

The industry is seeking to play a leading role in transitioning Europe to a climate neutral economy, in support of the European Data Strategy and the European Green Deal, which aims to make Europe the world’s first climate neutral continent by 2050.

The Pact also establishes a Self-Regulatory Initiative for the industry, which will set goals to facilitate the transition to a greener economy in Europe. Equinix, and other operator signatories, commit to the measurable and ambitious targets set for 2025 and 2030, which include:

• Improving the efficiency of energy use
• Purchasing 100% carbon-free energy
• Water conservation through the selection of efficient and appropriate cooling solutions
• Recycling of servers, electrical equipment and other related electrical components
• Reusing data centre heat where practical, environmentally sound and cost effective.

The European Commission will monitor progress on achieving the goals outlined by the Initiative twice a year.

Equinix, along with a dozen trade associations and over twenty cloud and colocation data centre operators, announced the formation of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Operator Pact and the Self-Regulatory Initiative at Kickstart Europe. 

The Pact and Self-Regulatory Framework support and enable Equinix’s sustainability commitments. In 2019 and 2020, Equinix purchased 100% renewable energy for all of its sites in the EU and reached over 90% renewable energy globally.

Every megawatt-hour (MWh) of renewable energy procured reduces the carbon footprint of both Equinix and its customers, greening their digital supply chains and addressing the urgency of global climate change.

Maurice Mortell, managing director, Ireland, Equinix commented, “Digital technologies are an essential part of the EU’s goal to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050.

“Cloud infrastructure and data centre providers are a crucial component within this, as we have historically provided cloud first solutions to enhance the carbon efficiency within our sector whilst supporting other industries to meet their own climate neutrality goals.”

Apostolos Kakkos, chairman, European Data Centre Association added, “Data centres are the supporting pillars of the fourth industrial revolution and, as seen during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, are essential infrastructure of not only the digital economy but of the entire global economy.

“It is our duty to commit to a self-regulatory initiative that will help to ensure the operational availability, sustainability and the future of our industry.”