Greens call for temporary ban on new data centres

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has urged the UK government to impose a moratorium on the approval of new data centres in England, arguing that the facilities’ water and energy consumption is unsustainable, especially as three‑quarters of the country faces drought. Polanski called for stricter environmental regulations and greater community input on siting, describing the proposed AI‑focused sites as “energy‑guzzling, water‑guzzling” and insisting that only local‑scale centres should proceed. He highlighted that data centres were re‑classified as critical infrastructure in 2024, which could give them priority access to water supplies over households, a point the Greens deem “outrageous” given the current scarcity.

The debate centres on the opaque water usage of data centres, which can vary widely with size, design and local climate, and for which the UK has no mandatory reporting. The Water Research Centre estimated that English data centres consume about 1.9 billion litres of drinkable water annually—roughly 0.2 % of the non‑household market—but noted a clear upward trend. Research cited by the Greens suggests large facilities could use up to 1.5 million litres per day, while the Data Centre Alliance’s Mark Acton countered that data centres use less water than leisure centres or golf courses and that planning permission is already “very difficult.” The government warned that halting new builds would risk losing investment, jobs and national security, arguing that existing centres are essential for social media, banking and other critical services.

Both sides agree that future developments must meet higher environmental standards. The Greens propose that new sites be limited to brownfield locations, linked to renewable energy sources, and required to publish annual water and electricity figures. They also call for developers to fund renewable generation and storage, and to ensure no depletion of local water supplies. A government spokesperson acknowledged the need for clean power, responsible water use, British jobs and community investment, but framed the current pause proposal as a “statement of intent” rather than formal policy, emphasizing that not every data centre will be approved and that developers must meet sustainability criteria.

⚡ Effects Interpreter