Committee publication · Correspondence · 11 February 2026
Letter to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero relating to data centres and the Carbon Budget, 11 January
From: Environmental Audit Committee
Inquiry: The Seventh Carbon Budget
Summary
The Environmental Audit Committee Chair writes to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero seeking clarification on whether data centres and their energy demand have been factored into the Seventh Carbon Budget and government planning. The Committee notes data centres are absent from the Climate Change Committee's CB7 advice despite their significant impact on energy use and emissions, and requests confirmation of dialogue between the government and CCC on this gap ahead of the Committee's February report.
Key findings
- Data centres are not mentioned in the Climate Change Committee's Seventh Carbon Budget or associated documents, despite being a key area of concern.
- The Committee received an unsatisfactory answer to a written question about whether the Secretary of State has discussed data centre projections with the CCC.
- The government's response referenced choosing its own pathway while considering energy security and future energy demand trends, but did not address the specific data centre question.
- The Committee requires information on whether data centre emissions have been accounted for in government planning and what projections and mitigations are in place.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Toby Perkins MP, Ed Miliband MP, Katie White OBE MP, Environmental Audit Committee, Climate Change Committee, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Notable line
“One of the reasons I asked this question is because there is no mention of data centres in the CCC's CB7 and its associated documents.”
Key Quotes
“I was disappointed with the response, which did not answer the question”
“One of the reasons I asked this question is because there is no mention of data centres in the CCC's CB7 and its associated documents.”
“If my committee is to make the meaningful contribution you asked for on CB7, it is essential that we have all the available information to inform our report.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗