Climate-related hazards, from flooding to forest fires, represent a growing threat to the world’s data centre infrastructure, a new report by climate risk analytics firm XDI has found.
The 2025 Global Data Centre Physical Climate Risk and Adaptation Report, which conducted a risk analysis of more than 8,600 data centres around the world, indicates that the impact from climate change on this vital infrastructure is intensifying.
‘As demand for data centre capacity accelerates, understanding these risks is essential for building resilience into the backbone of modern life,’ the report notes.
Risk levels
The study modelled the impact from eight potential climate-related threats, and found that 6.25% of the world’s data centres are currently at ‘high’ risk, while a further 15.79% are at ‘moderately high’ risk.
As climate impacts intensify, the study calculates that the percentage of data centres at high risk will rise to 7.13% by 2050, with 19.6% at a ‘moderately high’ risk. At the same time the percentage of ‘low risk’ data centres will drop from around 78% today to 73% by the middle of the century.
Regional concerns
On a regional basis, Asia Pacific – which has led the way in terms of data centre expansion – is the most at-risk region, with more than 10% of facilities already deemed high risk – a figure expected to grow past 12% by 2050.
In the US, meanwhile more than 6% of the country’s data centres are projected to be high risk by 2050, however in 16 states, this figure rises to 10% or more.
As XDI notes, without meaningful adaptation, insurance premiums for data centre operators could triple or even quadruple by 2050 due to escalating climate risks.
‘This analysis demonstrates that strategic investments in resilience can significantly reduce risk exposure, even as climate hazards intensify,’ the report notes. ‘For asset owners, operators, and investors, the report offers clear insights to guide smarter decisions and safeguard long-term value.’ Read more here.
