‘Race to bottom’: 40 mayors sign global data centre pact to curb ‘unprecedented’ drain on power and water

‘Race to bottom’: 40 mayors sign global data centre pact to curb ‘unprecedented’ drain on power and water

Mayors of 40 cities launch the Global Urban Data Centres Pact to regulate AI-driven facility expansion consuming 10-20% of local electricity by 2040. The framework imposes clean energy standards and prevents regulatory arbitrage, reshaping location strategy and capex planning for infrastructure vendors globally.