The Cloud vs the Climate? Lessons from Ireland on the data centre debate

As our lives become increasingly digital, the infrastructure powering them is sparking a global debate: we need data centres, but at what cost to the climate and our access to energy? These massive facilities are the backbone of everything from streaming to AI, yet they consume staggering amounts of electricity and water, often straining local grids and and in some cases, threatening to derail decarbonisation efforts.In this episode of Cities 1.5, we explore how Ireland became the "canary in the coalmine" for this issue. With data centres projected to consume nearly 30% of the nation’s electricity by 2030, the Irish experience serves as a critical warning – and a roadmap – for cities worldwide. We examine the tension between economic ambition and climate mandates, questioning how urban leaders can manage the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure without derailing net-zero goals. Join us as we dive into the lessons learned from the frontlines of the data centre boom and what they mean for the future of sustainable cities.Featured guest: Professor Hannah Daly, Professor of Sustainable Energy at University College CorkLinks:Ireland’s data centre boom is driving up fossil fuel dependence - The Irish Times, by Professor Hannah DalyData Centres Metered Electricity Consumption 2024 - Central Statistics OfficeEnergy for who? Data centres and the grid - Friends of the Earth IrelandHow Big Tech wrote secrecy into EU law to hide environmental toll - The Journal InvestigatesWhat Ireland’s Data Center Crisis Means for the EU’s AI Sovereignty Plans -  AlgorithmWatchIreland’s data centre policy reset: The end of the blanket moratorium -  KPMG IrelandGoogle’s Dublin data centre blocked amid energy usage concerns - Tech MonitorData Centres Ireland – Energy, Growth and the Grid Debate - Enable ResearchIf you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit our website at https://jccpe.utpjournals.press/Listen to the Cities 1.5 five-part miniseries “Going Steady with Herman Daly: How to Unbreak the Economy (and the Planet)" here: https://lnk.to/HDMiniSeriesCities 1.5 is produced by the University of Toronto Press and the C40 Centre, and is supported by C40 Cities. Sign up to the Centre newsletter: https://thecentre.substack.com/Writing and executive production by Peggy Whitfield.Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo.Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/