Tech Companies Lobbied Away Stricter Rules On Gas-Powered Data Centers

Tech lobbying helped halt a stricter clean-energy accounting rule for data centers.

The dropped SBTi proposal would have required closer time-and-location matching of fossil power use and clean energy certificates.

Google backed hourly matching, while others argued the tougher rule would better cut emissions.

The decision shapes how AI-driven data center growth can be counted in emissions reporting and carbon offsets.