Nearly 80% of global data centers face climate threats
A recent report reveals that nearly 80% of the world's data centers (basically the places where your cloud storage and streaming live) are exposed to climate threats like floods, wildfires, and extreme winds.
Chronic issues such as heat and drought are also hitting over half of datacenter markets, making operations tougher and insurance pricier.
The Americas stand out with 86% of their capacity in elevated-risk markets for flood, wind and wildfire, while Asia-Pacific isn't far behind with 89% facing heat and drought.
Site choice impacts data center costs
Experts say where a data center is built can impact costs for decades, especially since cooling and water supply challenges are often overlooked.
Surprisingly, about two-thirds of upcoming US data centers are planned in drought-prone areas, which could strain local resources even more.
Meanwhile, safer spots like Helsinki aren't seeing much growth because they're just not as trendy for expansion right now.