AI water usage requires governments to rethink their approach to water
Chatham House | 2026-06-08 | economy
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English Summary
The rapid scaling of AI infrastructure, particularly data centers, is emerging as a critical, often overlooked, driver of global water stress. This strain is evident both locally, where data centers compete with communities for scarce water resources, and globally, where the supply chain for essential components like semiconductors is highly water-intensive and vulnerable to climate and geopolitical shocks. To mitigate these risks, governments must fundamentally rethink water governance, moving beyond localized solutions. Policy must mandate greater investment in public water services, promote circularity in data center operations, and prioritize equitable access to domestic water use over unchecked digital economic expansion.
中文摘要
人工智慧（AI）基礎設施，特別是資料中心，快速擴張的趨勢，正逐漸成為一個關鍵但常被忽視的全球水資源壓力源。這種水資源緊張不僅體現在地方層面，資料中心與當地社區爭奪稀缺的水源；也體現在全球供應鏈層面，例如半導體等關鍵組件的供應鏈極度耗水，且容易受到氣候變遷和地緣政治衝擊的影響。為減緩這些風險，各國政府必須從根本上重新思考水資源治理，不能僅限於局部解決方案。政策制定必須強制要求增加對公共供水服務的投資，推動資料中心營運的循環經濟模式，並將公平的國內用水權置於不受約束的數位經濟擴張之上。
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