Miliband Says Climate Impact of Data Centres Is Uncertain

Published: 27 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

The UK government is facing fresh questions over how the rapid expansion of data centres — facilities that house computing infrastructure for digital services and artificial intelligence (AI) — could affect the country’s climate and net zero emissions targets, after Energy Secretary Ed Miliband acknowledged the “inherently uncertain” nature of their environmental impact.

In a letter to the chair of the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), Miliband said that while the government’s climate modelling does take account of potential emissions from data centres through projections of overall electricity demand, the future trajectory of demand and its interaction with the wider energy system remain unclear. He said the modelling will test “a range of trajectories” to assess different possible outcomes.

The comments came as MPs launched a new parliamentary inquiry into the environmental impacts of data centres in the UK, which are seen as central to supporting economic growth and digital infrastructure but have also raised concerns about energy use, water consumption and emissions. The Environment Audit Committee will examine how much energy and water data centres are likely to require, how that might affect the government’s legally binding net zero goals, and whether current planning processes adequately factor in environmental consequences.

Government projections suggest that electricity consumption by data centres in the UK could quadruple by 2030, intensifying concerns about the strain on the power grid and implications for renewable energy deployment. Data centres have been designated critical national infrastructure since 2024, a status that provides them with statutory protections but also underscores their importance to the modern economy.

Environmental campaigners argue that the current surge in proposals for AI‑related data centre developments — some of which could collectively require tens of gigawatts of additional power capacity — could undermine climate objectives if more clean energy generation and efficiency measures are not implemented in parallel. Opponents also highlight potential competition for limited resources such as water, which data centres use heavily for cooling.

Supporters of the technology sector counter that data centres are necessary for economic growth, innovation and maintaining global competitiveness, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing, and that appropriate regulation rather than restriction is the best way to manage environmental impact. The government has emphasised its commitment to expanding renewable energy capacity in efforts to meet a target of 95 per cent clean power by 2030.

As the inquiry continues, lawmakers, industry representatives and environmental groups are expected to provide evidence on how the UK’s transition to a low‑carbon economy can accommodate the growth of energy‑intensive digital infrastructure without compromising climate commitments.

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