Today, just over half (51.2%) of the world's population is online according to the International Telecommunication Union. The world’s internet users has now passed the 4 billion mark and the ‘data explosion’ is consuming 2% of the world’s energy (or is it?). With the number of internet users projected to reach 5 billion by 2020 many of whom will be on smart devices, this industry needs to assess how rapid growth in data volume will impact everything from energy and water use to site acquisition and the construction pipeline.

How is this industry going to sustain the data center infrastructure growth rates to support this in the face of a global climate emergency? Will this ever be a sustainable industry? Will governments intervene or will it be consumers that hold us to account? Where can the industry innovate to do more - technology or partnerships?