Forty city mayors from around the world are set to sign a new global pact aimed at influencing how urban data centres are developed and operated. Multiple outlets report that the agreement is intended to reduce the sector’s negative effects on cities, particularly around environmental pressures, access to local natural resources, and energy use. Sources also link the pact to broader municipal climate goals, including efforts to avoid undermining cities’ emissions targets.
Participating cities mentioned by outlets include London, Phoenix and Melbourne, and one report references Montreal’s mayor among the signatories. The initiative is described as a coordinated effort by city leaders—announced publicly and moving toward signature—to work together on approaches that make data centres more sustainable and less burdensome for local communities. One source notes that around half of the participating mayors are from the United States.
Overall, the pact represents a municipal-level attempt to shape industry practices in areas such as resource impacts, energy prices, and alignment with local climate commitments, while creating a shared framework across the participating cities.
