{
  "id": 10981583,
  "title": "L’UE accusée de dissimuler l’impact environnemental des datacenters",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/lue-accusee-de-dissimuler-limpact-environnemental-des-datacenters",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-30T15:52:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Politico EU",
    "slug": "politico-eu",
    "url": "https://www.politico.eu/article/lue-accusee-de-dissimuler-limpact-environnemental-des-datacenters/"
  },
  "original_language": "fr",
  "account": "L’Union Européenne (UE) is accused of concealing the environmental impact of data centers, according to a complaint filed last week. Lighthouse Reports, a Dutch-based NGO, has accused the EU executive of implementing rules that prevent the public from knowing the energy and water consumption of each data center. This legal action comes as opposition grows across Europe against these energy-intensive data centers, which are essential for the functioning of artificial intelligence, and as energy prices continue to rise. The NGO alleges that the EU is erecting a \"wall of silence\" around the issue of energy consumption. Political decision-makers in the EU are reportedly determined to \"refuse or discourage access to information on data center performance, and to confuse understanding,\" according to the complaint filed under the Aarhus Convention, a legally binding international treaty that guarantees public access to information and participation in environmental decisions. The case will face its first test in November when the Aarhus Compliance Review Committee meets to decide on its admissibility. If the Convention concludes that the EU has failed to meet its obligations under the treaty, it could lead to further action.\n\nThe EU has officially announced its goal of tripling the capacity of its data centers in the coming years to remain competitive with the United States and China. Meanwhile, public scrutiny of energy-intensive data centers is growing across Europe due to rising energy prices. To mitigate environmental impact, the Commission launched a new transparency label last week, which is intended to guide investments towards more environmentally friendly installations. However, the data on energy and water consumption for 2025, released by the Commission, only represents an incomplete picture, as it is based on aggregated data collected under a 2024 law prohibiting the disclosure of \"all key performance indicators related to each data center,\" following lobbying by major tech companies who cited commercial interests. European MEP Diego Solier, who is working on the legislation to strengthen the EU's digital capabilities, believes that the expansion of data centers in Europe must be accompanied by reliable information on energy and water consumption for citizens and policymakers. \"Transparency should be the starting point,\" Solier stated, while also noting that transparency must be proportionate and should not force companies to disclose truly sensitive commercial information. According to Lighthouse Reports, the Commission bears the primary responsibility for preventing the public from learning about the environmental impact of the massive expansion of data centers in Europe, allowing operators to keep details of their consumption secret and evade any right of scrutiny - in violation of the Aarhus Convention, ratified by the EU in 2005. After failing to compel the Commission and national governments to disclose the data they possess, Lighthouse Reports accuses them of improperly hiding behind exemption clauses. The NGO claims that the Commission is at the top of a system of non-disclosure that encompasses the vast majority of the EU. \"Prioritizing commercial secrecy over the right to know citizens' rights erodes legitimacy and further undermines public trust,\" the NGO writes. The new measures aimed at increasing transparency, including a highly criticized scoring system, do not fully address the issue, according to Lighthouse Reports. Starting next summer, the system will require operators to assess their energy efficiency, water consumption, and use of renewable energy on a scale from A to G. However, the NGO argues that these rules still do not reveal the total energy consumption or other key indicators needed to accurately assess the carbon footprint of these infrastructures. The NGO emphasizes that prioritizing ratios over actual energy consumption figures is a conscious choice that fails to meet technical constraints.",
  "summary": "Une ONG a déposé une plainte, affirmant que la Commission européenne dissimulerait des données sur la consommation d'énergie et d'eau des centres de données, portant ainsi atteinte au droit de savoir des citoyens.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}