Wednesday briefing: ​What’s be... Note

Wednesday briefing: ​What’s behind the global backlash against datacentres?

Across the globe, communities are protesting the construction of new datacentres, viewing them as detrimental to local energy supplies and the climate. These facilities are burgeoning due to increased demand for AI technologies like ChatGPT, with governments often promoting them as vital for economic growth. Critics contend that datacentres consume excessive resources and worsen the climate crisis. In response, political parties in Scotland have supported a halt on further developments, indicating growing opposition. Meanwhile, in the UK, a politician attributes a decade of slow economic growth to Brexit and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's policies. In Nepal, authorities are collecting blood samples for victims of a recent flash flood disaster. The Middle East faces renewed hostilities as the US conducts airstrikes on Iranian targets, leading to Iranian retaliation. Russia has escalated its war in Ukraine by targeting the nation's railway infrastructure, resulting in employee fatalities. Finally, a high-ranking official has criticized the former US administration's handling of trade tensions with Canada.