France enacted laws requiring water regime authorization for data centers. Local authorities can now deny building permits during recurring water shortages. New regulations require data centers over 1 MW to implement waste heat recovery systems. First major nation to formalize water scarcity into tech infrastructure permitting.
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France just made history: it's the first major nation to formally integrate water scarcity into the permitting process for technology infrastructure. Data centers over 1 megawatt must implement waste heat recovery. Local authorities can deny building permits during recurring water shortages. This is what meaningful tech regulation looks like — not just carbon, but water. The policy framework France has created is worth studying, because it will likely become a template for other nations. Read the full analysis.
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