A new report released today, An Assessment of California Data Centers’ Environmental and Public Health Impacts, authored by researchers from the University of California, Riverside and produced by the think tank Next 10 shows that from 2019 to 2023, health impacts from California’s data centers have tripled — and could rise by another 72% by 2028 unless strong mitigation policies are enacted.
“This report should be a wake-up call,” said F. Noel Perry, Founder of Next 10. “We’re witnessing the rapid buildout of the digital infrastructure that powers AI, cloud services, and the entire modern economy. But with that growth comes serious consequences — from worsening air quality and health impacts, to rising greenhouse gas emissions, and significant increases in water use, escalating health impacts in already overburdened communities. If we allow this industry to expand without smart policies and clear environmental standards, we risk not only undermining California’s hard-won climate progress, but also increasing the burden on the people least equipped to bear it. We have the tools to do better — but we need action now.”