The European Commission has been targeted by a formal complaint for allegedly concealing the energy consumption of data centers. The complaint, presented by Lighthouse Reports, states that regulations set by the European Union hinder public access to information regarding the energy and water consumption of these centers.
Increasing Public Opposition
This complaint has been filed at a time when public opposition to data centers, which are large energy consumers, is growing across Europe and energy prices are also on the rise. Lighthouse Reports, a non-governmental organization based in the Netherlands, has accused the European Commission of hiding the facts by creating a "wall of silence" around energy consumption.
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Challenges to Transparency
The complaint has been filed under the Aarhus Convention, which is a binding international treaty. According to this convention, people have the right to access information and decision-making related to environmental matters. The European Commission is currently planning to triple the capacity of data centers in the coming years, while public resistance is also expanding.
The European Commission recently introduced a new transparency label aimed at attracting investment towards greener facilities. This label will allow data centers to assess their energy efficiency and water consumption on a scale from A to G starting next summer. However, Lighthouse Reports has emphasized that these regulations still cannot accurately assess total energy consumption and other key metrics.
Diego Solier, a representative from the European Parliament, has stressed the need to provide reliable information to citizens and policymakers, stating that "transparency must be the starting point." He also added that this transparency should not lead to the disclosure of sensitive business information.
Lighthouse Reports claims that the Commission bears the "primary responsibility" for the lack of public access to the impacts of the expansion of data centers in Europe and that by supporting non-disclosure of information, it harms public rights. This complaint follows unsuccessful efforts to compel the Commission and national governments to disclose data.
