Rising Global Concern Over Environmental Footprint of Data-Centres

Global – As demand for “hyperscale” data-centres leaps forward (driven by AI, cloud, streaming), analysts warn of mounting environmental consequences: massive power usage, high water demands, electronic-waste burdens and land-use pressures.

Key findings

Data-centres already account for an estimated 1-1.5% of global carbon emissions, though some estimates suggest the real figure may be much higher.

A single recent US-based hyperscale centre can require 100+ MWh/month vs older centres 10 MWh/month. Water use and land conversion are also significant issues (e.g., 20 billion litres a year for one facility).

Smaller tech firms may struggle to follow big-tech’s renewable commitments; the mismatch may leave them more exposed to regulation and cost escalation.

Why it matters

For Africa and Uganda: As data-centres expand in the region (cloud services, local AI, mobile-internet hubs), the environmental footprint becomes a concern especially for energy-constrained and water-stressed systems.

Regulators may increasingly demand transparency, renewables usage, water-recycling, e-waste policy and land-zoning for data-centres; businesses need to anticipate this.

Investors and developers must account for “hidden costs” of green compliance, local resource constraints and community push-back.

What to watch

Any announcements in Africa (including Uganda) of new large-scale data-centre builds and how they address environmental clearance, power sourcing and sustainability.

Government or regional policies on data-centre licensing, green-certification, water usage limits or carbon taxation.

The role of circular-economy solutions for e-waste, reuse of heat from centres (district heating) and local innovation in “green data-centre” models.