A UN report on the environmental impact of AI says local communities must be included in discussions about data centres — as Scottish communities rally to object to plans near them.
The 56-page report titled "Environmental Cost of AI's Energy Use", put together by four leading scientists, looked at the impact of the artificial technology on our surroundings, noting energy and water use, as well as ethical concerns.
Its findings revealed that in 2025, global data centres were estimated to have used 448 TWh of electricity, and, if considered a country, they would have ranked an astonishing 11th globally for consumption.
Scientists warned that energy usage for images and videos was particularly high, and wrote that the power required for a high-complexity AI video was similar to running a light bulb for 42 hours straight.
On data centres, a stark warning outlined how these sites are putting direct pressure on local water supplies due to cooling systems. The report argued that "nearby communities may bear disproportionate local environmental burdens, including water stress, land use pressures, and air pollution".
The paper's findings may be concerning to some in Scotland, who find themselves up against planning proposals for data centres near their homes.
So far, eighteen projects are looking for planning permission with a further six in the pipeline, according to Scottish countryside charity APRS.
Just last week, more than 200 people attended a public meeting to oppose a data centre near the small Fife village of Auchtertool, with the community council saying it was “appalled” by Fife Council’s decision not to request an environmental impact assessment (EIA).
A campaign has also been launched to halt a similar development in the Borders. They'll hope to achieve a similar result as that in Edinburgh earlier this year, when councillors voted unanimously to refuse a proposed hyperscale centre at the former Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters in South Gyle.
Overall, the UN report reiterated that "local communities should be included" in discussions on these sites because they are the ones who will experience the "direct environmental and social impacts".
In Scotland, campaigners are encouraging those with concerns to write formal objections on their local authority's planning portal and make their voice heard at local meetings.
