'Opposition to data centers' is growing in Europe... More than 100 groups protest in 15 countries
Concerns about adverse effects on the environment, housing, and jobs... ‘Stop Dirty Data Center’ movement held on the 6th to 7th
Quick Look
Following the victory against data centers in the U.S. midterm elections, more than 100 organizations from 15 European countries will hold a pan-European protest on the 6th to 7th to oppose the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers that have a negative impact on the environment and housing.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
More than 100 organizations from 15 European countries have organized the 'Stop Dirty Data Center' movement to oppose data center expansion and will hold protests on the 6th and 7th.
Protests in major European countries on the 6th to 7th... “Adverse effects on the environment, housing, jobs and prices”
(London = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Ji-yeon = With candidates opposing the construction of artificial intelligence data centers (AIDCs) winning successively in the U.S. midterm elections, Euronews and the Guardian reported on the 5th (local time) that more than 100 organizations from 15 European countries are uniting to protest against data centers.
This movement, organized under the name of 'Stop Dirty Data Centers', will be held on the 6th and 7th in Ireland, Poland, Denmark, Finland, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom.
Organizers said the movement was organized in response to "growing concerns surrounding the impact of data center expansion on communities and public infrastructure, land, water and energy use, housing, jobs and the cost of living."
Events taking place over the two days include a protest in front of the Polish Parliament in Warsaw, a march in Dublin, Ireland, a protest in front of Microsoft in Denmark, and an educational event near a planned data center site in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Owen Espley, coordinator of the pan-European protests, said, "Communities and civil society across Europe are rising up against the burden of data centers that are hogging up our region's energy, water and land," and added, "The results of the U.S. midterm elections reflect concerns shared on both sides of the Atlantic (the U.S. and Europe)."
Various environmental groups in Europe, including the 'Movement Against Climate Change', Greenpeace, Fox Globe, and the University Alliance for Climate Justice, are participating in this protest.
The German Institute for Ecology predicts that carbon dioxide emissions from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers by 2030 will be six times higher than in 2023.
This pan-European movement also points out the impact of AI chatbots on human mental health, the threat of AI replacing jobs, and the problem of prioritizing data centers over housing despite the severe housing crisis in Europe.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Protests against data centers and related events were held on the 6th and 7th in 15 European countries.
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- How will this protest affect actual data center construction plans?
- What is the official response from the governments of participating countries?
