CPDP LatAm session on ‘Critical infrastructure and digital sovereignty: regulatory challenges for sustainable data centers’

The growing global demand for the internet and digital services has consolidated data centres as critical infrastructures for international trade, technological innovation, environmental sustainability and digital sovereignty, highlighting their strategic centrality in the digital economy. In the current international context, digital infrastructures have become objects of power struggle between the USA and China and have directly influenced the global geopolitical agenda and the dynamics between the Global North and South, especially in Brazil and other developing countries in Latin America.

This panel, co-organised by the Legal Fronts Institute and the Center for Technology and Society of the Getulio Vargas Foundation Law School in Rio de Janeiro (CTS/FGV), aimed to promote an in-depth analysis of the governance and strengthening of sustainable data center infrastructures in Latin America, identifying regional development proposals in the area, cyber vulnerabilities, environmental issues and regulatory barriers.

Diplo’s Director of Digital Trade and Economic Security Marilia Maciel delivered her remarks online. She presented an overview of different policy approaches adopted in Latin America to foster sustainable data centres and to promote digital autonomy. She emphasised the need to better navigate the reorganisation of digital value chains by adapting to geoeconomic shifts and seeking diversification. Countries should also focus on fostering cognitive sovereignty by extracting value from data.

Maciel underscored the need to increase transparency, accountability and participation when it comes to digital sovereignty strategies being developed in the region.

Francisco Cavalcante from the Legal Fronts Institute moderated the session. Speakers included Maciel, Alessandro Lombardi, CEO of Elea Data Centers, Olga Cavalli, Dean of the Faculty of National Defense of Argentina, Beatriz Souza, Researcher at CTS FGV Rio, and Rodrigo Abreu, Operating Partner at Patria Investments.