EUDCA Recommits to Data Centre Sustainability Agenda

The European Data Centre Association says sustainability and digital growth must advance together as Europe's AI ambitions continue to accelerate

EUDCA says it will continue to advocate for investment in Europe’s electricity networks and for regulatory changes to help connect data centres to the grid.

"We reaffirm our commitment to sustainability, irrespective of technological developments or changing demands. A liveable, equitable and sustainable future remains our utmost goal," says Michael Winterson, Secretary General at the European Data Centre Association.

Climate neutral targets by 2030

EUDCA was founded in 2012 to represent Europe’s digital infrastructure sector. It helped launch the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, which calls on participating operators to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.

The pact includes commitments to reduce operational emissions and improve energy efficiency.

Members have also agreed to increase the use of renewable electricity and adopt circular economy practices.

The agreement also covers water conservation and the reuse of waste heat.

EUDCA says these steps show that sustainability and infrastructure growth should go together rather than be seen as separate goals.

The association says environmental performance should be included in plans to expand facilities. This means operators may need to balance increasing capacity with meeting resource efficiency goals.

Electricity infrastructure challenges ahead

EUDCA has identified electricity network capacity as a main challenge for expanding data centres.

The organisation says AI workloads will need computing infrastructure that relies on dependable grid access.

The association has worked with the European Commission to support two main goals: building climate-neutral data centres and expanding digital infrastructure to support AI and keep Europe competitive.

According to EUDCA, both goals require closer integration between data centres and energy systems.

The organisation says this will involve cooperation among operators, grid companies and policymakers.

EUDCA argues that Europe cannot meet AI infrastructure needs without solving electricity network challenges. 

The association has called for grid upgrades and expansion, faster permitting and clearer long-term access to low-carbon power.

Declaration signed with Commission

On 3 June 2026, EUDCA joined the European Commissioner Dan Jørgensen and energy sector organisations in signing a Declaration of Intent. The declaration focused on integrating data centres into Europe's energy system.

The agreement called for cooperation among data centre operators, grid operators and public authorities. It also stressed the need for decarbonised electricity systems and investment frameworks that support sustainability and competitiveness.

According to EUDCA, the declaration says that energy infrastructure will determine how quickly Europe can expand digital capacity while meeting climate goals. The organisation says grid availability could affect timelines for deploying new facilities. 

It has maintained that electricity system readiness will influence whether operators can meet projected demand. This could mean that infrastructure investment becomes a determining factor in AI service delivery.

EUDCA publishes an annual State of European Data Centres report that tracks sector performance on environmental and social metrics. The report uses data from members and information collected through the European Energy Efficiency Directive.

According to EUDCA, the publication provides transparency on progress toward climate commitments. The association says the reports also track broader environmental, social and governance performance.

The data includes sustainability measures along with operational metrics. EUDCA publishes the reports to show how the sector is progressing toward its 2030 targets.

The association says AI is expected to continue driving infrastructure investment. Michael's statement confirms that EUDCA's priorities remain the same as demand for capacity grows, while keeping climate-neutral commitments.