Watch the recorded webinar here!
Water Policy Specialist Peyton McCauley of the Center for Water Policy at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences recently delivered a timely and eye-opening lecture titled “The Hidden Environmental Costs of Data Centers and AI” hosted by Rutgers Law School. Her lecture was a meaningful discussion about the intersection of digital infrastructure, environmental policy, and water governance—encouraging a more critical look at the true cost of AI and data-driven technologies.
The presentation was based on a forthcoming article in the Rutgers Computer and Technology Law Journal, co-authored by McCauley. The event drew attention to the significant and often-overlooked environmental impacts of data centers—especially their water consumption and strain on natural resources. McCauley presented findings from original research using government records and corporate sustainability reports. Despite widespread corporate sustainability pledges, key data about environmental impacts remains largely inaccessible or obscured from public view. She emphasized the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability from both corporations and government agencies at state and federal levels.
This Guardrails for Green Tech presentation builts on the Center’s research exploring how private ESG reporting assesses AI & data center water use — and exposes limits to transparency.
Read more: Inside ESG Reporting: Thirsty Data Centers Reveal Limits to Transparency — American Bar Association