COP31
10 November 2026, h. 17:30–19:00 TRT (15:30–17:00 CET) | Antalya EXPO Center, Antalya, Türkiye – Italy Pavilion

As AI accelerates, the growth of data centres calls for clean, reliable energy and integrated planning aligned with local resources, infrastructure capacity and environmental limits. The COP31 side event “Powering AI, protecting the climate: Data centres, integrated solutions and verified benefits” will explore available solutions and how their benefits can be credibly verified.

The event, hosted as part of the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) events programme, will take place at the Italy Pavilion (Antalya EXPO Center, Antalya, Türkiye) on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, h. 17:30–19:00 TRT (15:30–17:00 CET). It is co-organized by the CMCC Foundation – Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, Montana S.p.A. (with contributions from A2A S.p.A. and Assolombarda), Turboden S.p.A., and SDA Bocconi (with a contribution from Bloomberg).

The panel will feature contributions from CMCC on current and projected energy demand from data centres, emission trajectories and their implications for climate targets, including carbon dioxide removal. Montana, A2A and Assolombarda will present a framework on sustainable capacity and regenerative master planning through energy, NBS, heat recovery and industrial symbiosis. Turboden will present projects under development in the EU and USA, using waste heat to power ORC turbines and industrial heat pumps. SDA Bocconi will discuss how MRV and emissions accounting can verify claimed benefits and inform decisions. The aim is to identify measurable, feasible and replicable sustainable data centre solutions at industrial scale.

Panelists include: Marco Baresi, Turboden S.p.A., Jacopo Cosso, A2A S.p.A., Fabio Lassini, Montana S.p.A., Vincenzo Mauro, Assolombarda, Shayegh Soheil, CMCC Foundation and speakers selected by SDA Bocconi.

This event is one of the several CMCC contributions to COP31, the 31st edition of the Conference of the Parties (COP) organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

COP31 is a major United Nations climate conference that brings together world leaders, non-governmental organizations, and experts to negotiate and advance global actions to address climate change. The conference will focus on implementing international climate agreements and promoting sustainable development through priority actions to tackle the climate crisis.