US EditionInvestors Press Amazon, Microsoft and Google on Water, Power Use in US Data Centers
More than a dozen investors say site-level water data is needed to assess local risks and replenishment efforts as data center demand rises.
- More than a dozen investors are pressuring Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet's Google for detailed water usage data ahead of spring shareholder meetings, following recent project cancellations over environmental concerns.
- North American data centers consumed nearly 1 trillion liters of water in 2025, roughly equivalent to New York City's annual demand, though the Big Four's reporting practices on closed-loop cooling vary.
- Trillium Asset Management, holding more than $4 billion in assets, filed a resolution with Alphabet seeking clarity; Andrea Ranger said emissions rose 51%, leaving investors "in the dark" about climate goals.
- Amazon director Josh Weissman said the firm is "increasingly disclosing site-specific water consumption data where we operate," while a spokesperson added the company is committed to being a "good neighbor."
- Calvert Research and Management analyst Jason Qi noted investors have not seen sufficient disclosure regarding local water impact, arguing site-level data is essential to assess operational risks and performance.
13 Articles
13 Articles
More than a decade of investors are increasing pressure on some of the largest technology companies in the United States (US) and the world, such as Amazon, Microsoft and Google, due to...
American data centers will use nearly 1 trillion liters of water in 2025, according to data from market research firm Mordor Intelligence, which is roughly equivalent to the annual water demands of New York City.
Investors press Amazon, Microsoft and Google on water, power use in US data centres
Big tech companies Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are facing pressure from investors. Shareholders want more details on water usage and conservation for new data centers. These facilities require significant water, and companies are being asked to provide clearer data. This comes as some data centre construction projects have been halted due to community opposition. Investors seek transparency on environmental impact.
Investors press Amazon, Microsoft and Google on water, power use in US data centers
Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet's Google have each recently abandoned construction of multibillion-dollar data centers over community opposition and now the companies are coming under shareholder pressure over the environmental impact of their projects.
As AI rapidly proliferates, power consumption and water usage at data centers are skyrocketing, leading technology companies are establishing new data centers one after another across the globe. However, concerns about the impact on surrounding areas and the environmental burden due to the vast land, enormous amounts of electricity, and large quantities of water required for cooling are being raised. In this context, major technology companies s…
Investors pressure tech firms on water usage
Investors urge Amazon, Microsoft and Google to disclose water and energy use amid data center construction halt due to community backlash [This post contains video, click to play] In Short: – Investors are scrutinising Amazon, Microsoft, and Google over environmental impacts of U.S. data centres. – Companies face shareholder pressure and community opposition, leading to halted data centre construction and calls for water usage transparency. Inve…
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