The Green Party of England and Wales has launched a campaign to suspend the construction of new datacenters across the UK. They argue that these facilities significantly strain the country's water and energy resources, particularly in light of recent drought conditions affecting millions.
Key Points
- The UK government declared datacenters as critical national infrastructure in 2024, allowing developers to bypass local objections. The Green Party contends that this status undermines household resource needs.
- Over 27 million individuals in England face drought restrictions, while large datacenters can consume up to 1.5 million liters of water per day, thus jeopardizing local water supplies.
- Green Party leader Zack Polanski emphasized that any new datacenters should only receive planning permission if they adhere to rigorous environmental standards and include community consultations.
- Concerns are mounting that existing forecasts for future water requirements in England overlook the increasing demand from datacenters, heightening competition for vital resources.
- A government spokesperson cautioned that pausing datacenter construction could result in job losses and increased reliance on foreign infrastructure for essential services, underlining the need for responsible resource management.
The call for a moratorium on datacenter expansions is a testament to the growing tensions between digital infrastructure demands and the urgent necessity for sustainable resource management in the UK.
