Last October, Signe Ratso, deputy director-general of the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, highlighted a growing concern regarding Europe’s reliance on external sources for critical climate data. Speaking at a European Parliament panel, Ratso warned that when key datasets and analytical tools are hosted outside the European Union, access and control can shift beyond the bloc’s influence, potentially compromising core scientific principles.

This concern centers on what experts describe as data extraterritoriality, a subtle but significant threat to Europe’s digital sovereignty. U.S. legislation currently extends control over data and digital infrastructure globally, blurring boundaries and enabling influence over sensitive domains such as climate research. Some analysts see this as an extension of the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations—originally aimed at military technology exports—into civilian sectors, allowing U.S. authorities to enforce traceability and end-use monitoring on data remotely.

Europe has taken steps to counterbalance this through regulatory frameworks such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Data Act, the AI Act, and forthcoming legislation like the Cloud and AI Development Act. However, these efforts face challenges due to Europe’s heavy dependence on infrastructure and datasets controlled by non-EU entities. This dependency is underscored by data showing that over 80 percent of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data used in the EU is sourced from outside the bloc, according to research by the PARC Foundation.

The asymmetry extends further: while the EU establishes regulations driving the collection of vast volumes of corporate disclosures, climate-risk assessments, and sustainability metrics through instruments like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, the advanced analytical tools that interpret this information are largely developed outside Europe. This dynamic could solidify a structural reliance on foreign-owned platforms, constraining Europe’s ability to independently manage and leverage ESG data. Experts warn this situation not only poses risks to sovereignty but also to Europe’s competitiveness in science and industry.

Artificial intelligence is accelerating this trend. Although EU regulations require transparency and auditability of AI training data, compliance is still evolving. Studies highlight inconsistencies, such as the differing tendencies of large language models—some propagate climate misinformation while others hold promise as safeguards against false narratives. This gap reflects ongoing challenges in governing AI’s role in climate discourse and analysis.

Efforts to centralize and democratize climate data within Europe have also encountered setbacks. The Climate Data Utility, launched as the Net-Zero Data Public Utility in 2022 to provide an open repository for corporate climate transition data, has struggled to fulfill its objectives. Meanwhile, the scope of the European Single Access Point, intended as a comprehensive access portal, has narrowed ahead of its planned 2027 launch.

The stakes extend beyond data management to the core of Europe’s climate strategy. In February, the U.S. Energy Secretary reportedly urged the International Energy Agency to discontinue its long-standing climate scenarios, regarded as a leading global reference for decarbonization pathways—highlighting the contested nature of shared climate frameworks.

While cutting off international data flows is not seen as a viable solution, securing freedom of choice and reinforcing Europe’s data sovereignty are crucial. Experts argue that maintaining leadership in climate science, renewable energy, and sustainability hinges on Europe’s ability to access and control its essential data and analytical resources. Ratso’s warning serves as a call to action for the EU to strengthen its informational independence in support of its broader green transition goals.