This weekend will see campaigners across the country stand up to the rapid expansion of energy and water-hungry big tech infrastructure.
Running on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th February 2025, Global Action Plan has collaborated with a range of organisations on various localised campaigns raising awareness about the impact of data centres.
APRS (Action to Protect Rural Scotland), Biofuel Watch, Corporate Europe Observatory, Foxglove, Friends of the Earth Wales & Northern Ireland, Global Justice Now, Havering Friends of the Earth, Hillingdon Friends of the Earth, Iver Heath Residents Association, London Mining Network, North Ockenden Residents Association Against East Havering Data Centre, and Pull the Plug are all involved.
You can find actions by location here.
The groups are mobilising at a time when the UK Government has announced intentions to rapidly increase the number of data centres across the country. Steps are also being taken to categorise this form of technology facility as nationally significant infrastructure, essentially exempting the sites from normal planning processes and opening up the opportunity for Downing Street to push projects through regardless of decisions at a local level.
As a result, concerns are increasing about the environmental impact of this imminent growth period. Data centres require huge amounts of electricity, with Ofgem reporting around 140 facilities are currently looking for connection to the National Grid and will require 50 gigawatts of power during peak periods.
This is more than Britain uses on an average winter’s day (45 gigawatts). Big questions remain as to where the additional voltage will come from, too – Beyond Fossil Fuels has an ongoing campaign to try and limit this to renewable sources.
Water consumption is also a major issue. Thames Water assessments suggest some of the largest data centres will need up to 19 million litres of water each day in order to keep servers cool. Meanwhile, evidence also shows that sites are responsible for dangerous Pfas emissions – the gaseous form of so-called ‘forever chemicals.’
‘Big Tech’s unchecked construction of hyperscale AI data centres is putting the UK’s climate targets at risk,’ said Oliver Hayes, Head of Campaigns at Global Action Plan. ‘Communities across the UK are fighting to have their voices heard but are being drowned out while developers and big tech lobbyists hold the ear of government.’
‘Giving Big Tech the power to monopolise our energy and water supply at the expense of our communities and climate, without any guarantee that these data centres will benefit society, is as reckless as it is foolish,’ he added.
Image:Anisah-Khan / Global Action Plan
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