In Le Bourget, France, a candidate is campaigning to halt a new data center, citing concerns over heat islands, noise pollution, and a lack of local jobs. The former judo champion argues that the push for AI data centers offers no solution to industrial decline.
The initiative follows President Macron's push to boost France's tech infrastructure with significant private investment. However, local resistance is mounting due to strains on the power grid, pollution, and the influence of U.S. Big Tech.
Candidates in at least 10 French towns are opposing new data centers or demanding moratoriums and greater transparency. This trend mirrors similar backlash across Europe and the United States, where data center growth has become an electoral issue.
In Ireland, data centers consume a substantial portion of national electricity, drawing criticism from opposition parties. Near London, a hyperscale data center faces legal challenges over climate impact assessments.
France is promoting its nuclear power to attract data center investment but is also facing scrutiny over energy demand. The Le Bourget project, approved by local prefecture, requires additional environmental studies. Some residents are actively opposing the plan, preferring green spaces for their children.
Marseille, a port city with significant energy needs, is also seeing a call for moratoriums on data centers. Legal challenges are also emerging, such as in Wissous, south of Paris, against an Amazon data center.
Proposed legislation in France aims to classify data centers as "projects of national interest," potentially streamlining approvals but raising concerns about weakening public input.