Data centre growth raises environmental concerns over AI

AI systems rely on data centres that consume large amounts of electricity, water, metals and rare minerals, with newer generative tools driving demand for more powerful facilities. In the year 2000 there were only about 50 data centres across the UK. By 2024, there were 266 UK data centres. As of early 2026, there were at least 450 UK data centres in existence, and over 100 more proposed to planning committees across the UK.

Water and energy use are central concerns. A data centre might use anywhere from 2 million to 19 million litres of water a day for evaporative cooling, equal to anywhere between 14,000 and 132,000 UK households. Data centres accounted for approximately 2.5% of UK electricity consumption in 2024, with demand projected to increase six-fold by 2030. Projections suggest that data centres could use about 11% of the UKs electricity in 2035, potentially competing with homes and climate-related electrification needs.

Communities near data centres have reported air, noise and heat pollution, while wider concerns include cobalt supply chains, e waste and AI-enabled fossil fuel extraction. Resistance is growing through protests, petitions, local bans and legal challenges in the UK, Europe, North America and South America, with campaigners calling for stronger community control over where data centres are built and how their impacts are managed.