No Data Centers in Anyone's Backyard

2026-07-02 · Source: Tech Policy Press · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Cloud Computing & IT Infrastructure, Environmental Science & Earth Systems · Depth: Novice, medium

Summary

Local opposition in the United States is pushing tech companies to shift data center development to Global Majority countries, despite the persistent environmental and social harms. These harms include over-extracting water resources, exacerbating air pollution, and intensifying environmental inequalities, which do not change if a data center moves from Virginia to Visakhapatnam. Governments in countries like the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, South Africa, and India are offering favorable regulations and land allotments, such as 600 acres for Google's AI Hub data center in India. However, organizing against these projects in Global Majority countries faces significant obstacles, including state-facilitated land dispossession, lack of public consultation, suppressed journalism, and threats to activists. Examples include Google's India data center, where job claims of 188,000 were fact-checked to 1,225, and TikTok's data center in Brazil, where Indigenous groups face death threats. A lawsuit against Equinix in South Africa highlights concerns over emissions and electricity.

Key takeaway

For activists and organizers in the Global North opposing data center development, you must expand your focus beyond local sites. Recognize that blocking a data center domestically often relocates its environmental and social harms to Global Majority countries. Commit to building international relationships with peers to develop joint strategies. This approach will enable you to seek new policy levers and legal mechanisms to regulate data centers globally, ensuring a just transition.

Key insights

The global shift of data center development to Global Majority countries exports environmental harms and suppresses local opposition.

Principles

• Data center harms persist regardless of location.
• Local opposition can create leverage against tech companies.
• State facilitation often enables industrial land dispossession.

In practice

• Fact-check corporate job claims for data centers.
• Seek policy levers and legal mechanisms to regulate data centers.
• Build international relationships among activists.

Topics

• Data Center Development
• Environmental Justice
• Global Majority Countries
• Corporate Accountability
• Land Dispossession
• Environmental Activism

Best for: CTO, VP of Engineering/Data, Director of AI/ML, Policy Maker, AI Ethicist, Tech Journalist

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Tech Policy Press.