Activists across Europe prepare two days of protests against datacentres

More than 100 campaign groups are holding two days of protests against datacentre developments in 15 countries, calling for a pause on large projects. The demonstrations reflect growing concern that the facilities supporting artificial intelligence carry environmental and social costs for nearby communities.

Actions include protests in Warsaw, Dublin, Denmark, Amsterdam and east London, with organisers expecting anything from a handful of people to several hundred at larger events. Research cited in the article projects that AI datacentre emissions could be six times higher by 2030 than in 2023; in the UK, 315 datacentres are waiting to connect to the grid, with demand totalling 73GW against peak national demand of 45GW. The technology industry says datacentres create jobs and support economic growth.