It's difficult to determine the exact level of pollution caused by a data center, as energy consumption and CO2 emissions depend on various factors, such as the size of the data center, the technologies used, and how it is managed. Estimates suggest that data centers are responsible for around 1-2% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions, which is similar to the emissions of the aviation industry.
Data centers are particularly polluting if they are not operated in a sustainable manner. Fortunately, there are several ways in which data centers can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, such as using energy-efficient servers and cooling systems, implementing energy-saving measures, and using sustainable energy sources such as wind or solar power.