Wednesday briefing: What’s behind the global backlash against datacentres?
Summary
Datacentres, which power technologies like AI, are facing growing resistance around the world due to concerns about their large energy and water use. Some governments and local groups want to stop or limit new datacentres because they believe these facilities worsen climate change and strain resources.Key Facts
- Datacentres store and process data for large technologies like AI, and their growth has increased since ChatGPT became popular.
- Many governments see datacentres as necessary infrastructure to benefit from AI technology.
- Campaigners say datacentres use too much electricity and water, contributing to climate problems.
- In Scotland, some political parties support a pause on building new datacentres.
- An example is a planned datacentre in east London approved despite local opposition and council rejection.
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates datacentres will soon consume more energy than all but the three largest countries (China, India, and the US).
- Datacentres have led to higher electricity prices in nearby areas, such as a 267% rise over five years in parts of Virginia.
- Authorities do not have clear data on how much water datacentres use, which is a growing concern.
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