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Abstract
Digital infrastructures are often described in immaterial terms, yet their environmental footprint is substantial and rapidly expanding. Data centres, high‑performance computing clusters, and cryptocurrency‑mining facilities rely on energy‑intensive hardware, water‑demanding cooling systems, and globally interconnected electricity grids. These material foundations generate environmental pressures that are increasingly transboundary but remain largely invisible within international legal and policy debates. This article examines how international environmental law (IEL) applies to the environmental impacts of digital infrastructures and assesses whether existing frameworks are equipped to address them. It maps the material dimensions of digitalisation and evaluates the relevance of customary and treaty‑based principles — including the no‑harm rule, due diligence, environmental impact assessment, cooperation, biodiversity obligations, and climate commitments. While these principles are conceptually applicable, their practical operation is hindered by structural challenges: the transnational organisation of digital infrastructures, the invisibility of their environmental footprint, and fragmented governance across environmental, digital, energy, and trade regimes. The article argues that IEL provides a valuable normative foundation but requires targeted reforms — including enhanced transparency, cross‑border assessments, sector‑specific soft‑law standards, and greater institutional coordination — to address the environmental consequences of digitalisation effectively.
