Greens call for temporary ban on new data centres
The Green Party in the UK is calling for a moratorium on new data center approvals due to concerns over their high energy and water consumption. The government opposes the move, citing risks to national security and economic investment.
Why it matters
The debate reflects the growing tension between the infrastructure needs of the AI-driven digital economy and environmental sustainability goals.
Image caption, Zack Polanski visits the site of a proposed data centre in East London
Zack Polanski has called for a freeze on the approval of new data centres in England because of concerns about the amount of water and energy they use.
The Green Party leader said the government should introduce stricter environmental rules and give communities more say on whether the centres are built in their area.
Data centres can use significant amounts of water to cool their systems, although there are no official figures on how much water they consume in the UK.
The government said a pause would lead to the UK losing investment and being dependent on overseas computing for sensitive data processing.
A spokesman said: "It would be a disaster for jobs and national security."
There are hundreds of data centres in the UK – with plans for many more.
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