In a previously unreleased Freedom of Information (FOI) response, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said it does not hold information about which companies, organisations or bodies are using the UK’s largest data centres nor the purposes for which they are used.
The government plans to massively expand sites across the UK using powers to overrule community opposition by categorising them as items of “critical national infrastructure”, yet told campaigners last September that it holds no information about who or what they are being used for.
The rapid growth of Generative Artificial Intelligence has fuelled an unprecedented need for new and much larger data centres which have massive water and energy needs.
Data centres : keeping us in the dark
Zack Polanski, the Green Party’s leader told the press:
How can the government designate new data centres as ‘critical national infrastructure’ when they don’t even keep records on who is using them and what they are being used for?
The government plans to steamroller over local opposition so private companies can build these facilities – yet they can’t even explain what the benefits are and who is benefitting.
What is more ‘critical’ than peoples’ access to water? What is more ‘critical’ than our need to transition to a low energy, low pollution world so we can put the brakes on climate extremes?
The government must end this wrong-headed ‘critical national infrastructure’ designation and make sure UK citizens are given priority access to water as we move into an increasingly drought-prone future.
The revelations come after Polanski’scall last week for an end to the designation of any new data centres as national infrastructure, and for a tightening of planning rules to prevent a rash of new data centres taking precedence over households for water and energy usage.
Campaign group Global Action Plan who filed the Freedom of Information requisition are leading on a UK-wide call for a moratorium of new sites. GAP’s Parliamentary Campaigns Manager, Anisah Khan, said:
Big Tech’s government-endorsed expansion of AI data centres prioritises corporate profit over community need. This reckless, rapid rollout is having a detrimental impact on the environment and housing targets, side-lining local people and politician’s concerns.
At a time when individuals across the country are facing hosepipe bans and essential housebuilding is being delayed because data centres are gobbling up grid connections, what we need is not more chatbots at any cost.
We need the UK Government to announce a moratorium on data centre developments until a clear framework is in place to address environmental and social concerns and impose transparency around these developments and their proposed societal use.
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