Sierra Club analysis says US data center buildout could erase 15 years of greenhouse gas progress by 2030

Summary

A new Sierra Club analysis estimates that US data center buildouts could erase 15 years of greenhouse gas progress by 2030. According to the analysis, the US power sector could release 42 percent more planet-heating carbon dioxide in 2030 than it did in 2025, as it expands fossil fuel infrastructure to meet data center electricity demand. A separate report on the same estimate says the added emissions from data center buildouts could amount to about as much carbon dioxide as all of Mexico emits by 2030.

Timeline

1. Tom's Hardware

   29 Oct 2026, 14:34 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that the Sierra Club estimates US data center buildouts could be emitting as much carbon dioxide as all of Mexico by 2030, wiping out 15 years' worth of greenhouse gas progress.

2. The Verge

   29 Oct 2026, 17:10 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that, according to a new Sierra Club analysis, the US power sector could release 42 percent more carbon dioxide pollution by 2030 than in 2025 as it builds fossil fuel infrastructure for data center demand, essentially wiping out 15 years of greenhouse gas reductions.