Data centers are vital to the digital economy yet increasingly strain resources, consuming over 4% of U.S. electricity. However, AI offers a massive opportunity to reduce global CO2 if the sector itself becomes sustainable.

To achieve this, the paper proposes a four-part strategy:

1. Efficiency (optimizing software/operations)

2. Clean Energy (24/7 renewables)

3. Modernization (advanced hardware/cooling)

4. Circularity (extended lifespans/policy reform)

This creates a framework for transforming data centers from environmental liabilities into sustainable infrastructure.