{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/activists-across-europe-plan-two-days-of-protests-against-datacentres","json":"https://digestai.news/story/activists-across-europe-plan-two-days-of-protests-against-datacentres.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/activists-across-europe-plan-two-days-of-protests-against-datacentres.md","slug":"activists-across-europe-plan-two-days-of-protests-against-datacentres","headline":"Activists across Europe plan two days of protests against datacentres","summary":"Protesters across Europe are planning two days of action against datacentres this week, with demonstrations set for Friday and Saturday in 15 countries. More than 100 groups, including Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and Foxglove, will stage the “Stop Dirty Data Centres” events. Organisers expect attendance to range from a handful to several hundred, with larger gatherings in Brick Lane and Dublin.\n\nThe protests target the environmental and social costs of large AI datacentres. Research by the Öko‑Institut projects that carbon dioxide emissions from AI datacentres will be six times the 2023 level by 2030. In the UK, energy use could emit up to 123 million tonnes of CO₂ over the next decade, roughly the same as 2.7 million people. The campaign also cites mental‑health impacts and job displacement.\n\nThe protests reflect growing public pressure for moratoria on large‑scale developments.","keyPoints":["Activists in 15 countries plan two days of protests against datacentres.","More than 100 groups join the 'Stop Dirty Data Centres' events.","AI datacentres could emit 123 million tonnes CO₂ in the UK over the next decade."],"whyItMatters":"The protests highlight mounting environmental and social concerns over AI datacentres, potentially prompting policy shifts and moratoria that could reshape the industry's energy footprint and public acceptance.","category":{"slug":"policy","name":"Policy & Regulation","url":"https://digestai.news/category/policy"},"entities":{"companies":["Microsoft","Öko-Institut"],"models":[],"people":["Owen Espley"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-11-05T09:00:01Z","updatedAt":"2026-11-05T09:00:01Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"The Guardian AI","title":"Activists across Europe prepare two days of protests against datacentres","url":"https://theguardian.com/world/2026/nov/05/activists-across-europe-protests-ai-against-datacentres","publishedAt":"2026-11-05T09:00:01Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"Activists across Europe plan two days of protests against datacentres\", 5 November 2026, https://digestai.news/story/activists-across-europe-plan-two-days-of-protests-against-datacentres","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"Activists across Europe plan two days of protests against datacentres","datePublished":"2026-11-05T09:00:01Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/activists-across-europe-plan-two-days-of-protests-against-datacentres"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}