Thousands of campaigners are expected to march against data centres in Edinburgh next month, as pressure mounts on developers.
The march, slated for 14 November, will draw together community campaigners who are affected by data centre proposals, climate and anti-poverty charities.
It comes after a wave of protests to “stop dirty data centres” across Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland and many other countries earlier in the month.
The Edinburgh protest will also coincide with a global day of action around the COP31 UN climate talks in Antalya, Turkey.
Over 20 proposals for huge, “hyperscale” AI data centres have been submitted by big tech developers in Scotland, with grassroots community campaigns opposing them formed in response.
The march aims to place pressure on the Scottish Government, which campaigners claim has not done enough to mitigate the potential harms of the data centres.
Charities are demanding that Holyrood publicly consult on these plans for AI data centres before making decisions to approve them, in a “national conversation” where people across the country can have their say.
The march is being organised by Friends of the Earth Scotland, Action to Protect Rural Scotland and numerous local campaign groups protesting data centres, including in Dumfries & Galloway, Edinburgh, Larbert and more.
Protesters are encouraged to assemble at 11:30am at the top of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh on Saturday 14 November, with the march heading down towards Holyrood at 12pm, after which there will be a rally outside the Scottish Parliament.
Caroline Rance, Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Head of Campaigns, explained: “We will be marching to demand that the people of Scotland can have their say on these monstrous AI data centres.
“Big Tech billionaires have set their sights on Scotland as their next AI data centre hotspot but we still have time to stop them.
“The huge data centres being proposed would crowd out communities, double Scotland’s electricity demand and make our energy bills more expensive, as well as destroying our natural environment and using thousands of tonnes of critical minerals.”
She added: “We need a public conversation about the need for AI and monster data centres.
“The Scottish Government should be led by what the people of Scotland think about these proposals, and not the profits of big tech developers.
“That’s why we’re marching to demand a proper public consultation on these AI data centre plans before any decisions to build them are made.”
Sarah Finlay, a community campaigner with West Edinburgh Against AI Data Centres, said: “What started as a local fight for us in West Edinburgh has become a nationwide movement against US tech billionaires.
“We cannot allow them to dictate the future of our countryside and our communities, they do not bring the benefits that many developers and tech firms would lead us to believe.
“We are asking the Scottish Government to stand shoulder to shoulder with us and not let this happen. Big tech, go hame tae think again!”
Sam Gibson, a Dumfries and Galloway resident who is campaigning against the Chapelcross AI data centre – expected to be the largest in the country – said:
“We are marching to say that we don’t want AI data centres in Scotland. The Annan and wider Dumfries and Galloway communities have let it be known that we do not want a data centre here or anywhere else.”
Amanda Grimm, advocacy lead for Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said: “People are deeply worried about the frenzied dash to build super-sized AI data centres around Scotland, and they want leaders to listen to their concerns.
“They want information, clarity and transparency, and to have a say in what happens next.
“There must be a national conversation about AI data centres – does Scotland need them or want them, and what impacts will they have?
“Without robust guidelines, only private businesses will profit – at the expense of Scotland’s citizens, nature and climate.”
Kat Jones, Director of Action to Protect Rural Scotland, said: “Despite months of campaigning, communities battling hyperscale AI data centres where they live are still not being heard by those in power.
“The Scottish Government needs to include communities and civil society in their discussions. We are calling for urgent change and a seat at the table.”
Action to Protect Rural Scotland (APRS) has led a national campaign calling for an urgent moratorium on new hyperscale AI data centres across Scotland.
After a previous protest outside the parliament, the Scottish Government announced it would require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for all new data centre planning applications that exceed 50 megawatts (MW) of power capacity.
Campaigners described this measure as a “step forward” but cautioned “there’s still much to be done.”.
