INTEGRATING ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS WITH LEGAL AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE IT INFRASTRUCTURE

Cloud computing is now an essential element of the modern digital infrastructure. Various applications, including artificial intelligence, big data analytics, e-governance, and global commerce, are supported by it. Cloud technologies can lead to greater operational efficiency and scalability. However, the rapidly expanding cloud ecosystem has brought about several environmental issues. Most prominently, the main concerns are energy consumption and carbon emissions from large-scale data centres. The shift of cloud computing towards a carbon-neutral platform is going to be supported by law and regulatory intervention, rather than just by technology. This is a result of the influence of environmental legislation, climate policies, and the requirements of compliance with environmental, social, and governance (ESG). The present study utilises an interdisciplinary methodology in which engineering solutions for carbon-neutral cloud infrastructure are integrated with the legal and regulatory frameworks of sustainability. The paper presents an extensive review of the carbon footprint of cloud computing, ways to technically cut down on carbon emissions, legal requirements in the leading jurisdictions, contractual responsibilities of cloud service providers, ESG disclosure requirements, and the legal harm of greenwashing. The author maintains that the production of reliable carbon-neutral cloud systems depends on the harmonious collaboration of engineers, lawyers, and policymakers. The author, therefore, puts forward a compliance-driven roadmap that integrates the element of legal responsibility in the design and operational decision-making of cloud architecture..