Thirsty AI mega projects raise alarm in some of Europe’s driest regions

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🗞️ Driving the news: Europe’s AI expansion plans, which include tripling data center capacity, are raising serious concerns about worsening water stress in already arid regions
• As tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Google invest heavily in new data centers across southern Europe, experts warn these energy- and water-intensive facilities could accelerate local water crises and undermine broader climate goals

🔭 The context: Around 30% of southern Europe’s population lives under permanent water stress, yet this region is being heavily targeted for AI infrastructure due to favorable climates for server performance
• Data centers require significant volumes of water for cooling, but reported usage often reflects only direct consumption, excluding upstream water use from electricity generation and semiconductor production
• The EU has prioritized AI competitiveness, citing projects like the JUPITER supercomputer in Germany as a model for sustainable innovation, yet oversight of site selection remains inconsistent

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The rapid growth of AI-driven data infrastructure in water-scarce regions directly threatens already strained ecosystems and local communities dependent on limited water resources
• Without rigorous safeguards, these “thirsty” AI factories could outcompete essential uses such as agriculture and drinking water, deepening environmental injustice and food insecurity
• The push for digital innovation must be balanced with responsible resource management, as Europe faces intensifying climate impacts and mounting pressure on natural systems

⏭️ What's next: Environmental groups are pressuring EU institutions to implement stricter water footprint standards for data center development, including full accounting of off-site consumption
• Countries like the Netherlands and Ireland have already introduced moratoriums or restrictions on new data centers, potentially signaling a shift in regulatory momentum
• With the AI sector poised for exponential growth, a clear policy framework is urgently needed to prevent further ecological strain and align digital infrastructure with climate resilience

💬 One quote: “We could create something which could grow inexorably, spread across the planet and displace or kill many forms of life — including us,” warned David Relman, Stanford microbiologist, drawing parallels between synthetic biology risks and unchecked AI infrastructure

📈 One stat: Southern Europe’s data center exposure to high water stress is expected to be among the highest globally in the 2020s, according to S&P Global

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