Erin Brockovich: Environmentalist against the data center boom

Do you know where a data center is due to be constructed in your area? An increasing number of US citizens can answer "yes" — thanks to a map created by Erin Brockovich. DW explains why people need to know. A prominent American activist has joined the global resistance to the huge proliferation of data centers – Erin Brockovich. The 65-year-old environmentalist was made famous by the Hollywood film that bears her name, in which she was played by Julia Roberts. Now she has set up an online platform: the Brockovich Data Center, which collects information on the planning and construction of new data centers in the United States and marks their locations on a map. "This map captures the real-world footprint of that race — revealing patterns of growth, conflict and uncertainty," Brockovich writes. She has received thousands of tip-offs since the launch of the platform in April. She is aiming to give a voice to US citizens, and help them gain an overview of where AI data centers are located, because: "The public should not be the last to know." Erin Brockovich highlights the fact that data centers consume vast quantities of water and energy Image: Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP Photo/picture alliance Why is there opposition to data centers? Data centers have existed in some form for decades. But in recent years, big-tech companies have hugely accelerated the construction of new ones all over the world. As well as powering AI, the demand for cloud services and platforms is growing exponentially. Critics like Brockovich highlight, above all, the massive amount of energy and water that data centers require to power their servers and cool the equipment. According to the non-governmental organization AlgorithmWatch, based in Berlin and Zurich, a single data center can devour as much energy as a small town. In countries such as India, the construction of a data center can lead to acute water shortage. People who live near a data center in India told DW that since its construction they only have water for a few hours a day. India's AI expansions stress water supplies near Delhi To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Furthermore, the hardware in these centers wears out very quickly, creating huge amounts of electronic waste. On her website, Brockovich also refers to noise pollution, which affects both people and animals. Data centers do not necessarily even provide an economic benefit to the regions where they are built. Investors may put billions of dollars into their construction, but they create hardly any local jobs. Data centers often cover tens of thousands of square meters, but employ only a few dozen workers on site. Where have the majority of data centers been built? At present, the US has around 5,400 data centers – by far the largest number of any country in the world. Germany comes second, followed by the United Kingdom, China, Canada, France, Australia, the Netherlands, and Russia, according to the Euronews portal in 2025. Many more data centers are being planned all around the world, usually in more rural areas. In addition to the US, thousands of new centers are to be built in various parts of East Asia. According to the federal economic development agency Germany Trade & Invest, China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are all ready to go. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are also expanding their data centers. In Germany, the greater Frankfurt area is the main focus for new development. Where are data centers being blocked? Brockovich's platform does not just indicate where new construction is planned. It also records moratoriums – temporary pauses to allow time to study a project's impact. "These moratoriums vary in duration and scope, but they share a goal: don't let the buildout get ahead of the planning," the website says. AI and its impact on the environment To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The platform reports moratoriums in the US states of North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Texas, and Maine. But they are not always successful. In April, the state parliament in Maine imposed a moratorium on a new data center that would require more than 20 megawatts of power – but its governor, Janet Mills, exercised her veto to prevent the decision becoming law. Opposition is also brewing in other parts of the world, such as Ireland and the Netherlands. In 2024, an environmental protection group in Chile successfully protested the construction of a data center for AI applications. In Brazil, too, which sees itself as a new data center hotspot, resistance is growing, especially in the northeast of the country. Similar developments can also be observed in Germany. Just last month, Spiegel magazine reported that the US company Edgeconnex had abandoned plans to construct a gas power station to power a data center. Edgeconnex did