Opinion: China Needs to Evaluate Efforts for Greener Digital Economy

Now that the buzz from Glasgow’s UN Climate Conference has quieted down, with the global consensus to accelerate climate action confirmed, national governments have rolled up their sleeves and gone back to work. For policymakers pushing for a greener digital economy, December 2021 started off well. 

On Dec. 8, China’s National Development and Reform Commission published an action plan for greener growth in the digital infrastructure sector — data centers and 5G — to contribute to the national carbon peak and neutrality goals. The plan focused on enhancing the energy efficiency of data centers and their utilization of solar and wind power. What’s more interesting is that this was not just technical guidance but was actually an integrated industry plan. New data centers are to be encouraged to “go West” for land and taxation support, where a synergy of new local demands for abundant renewable energy and greener data-related jobs can be created.