Outcry in Finland as Google Faces Backlash Over Forest Clearance for AI Data Centre

Outcry in Finland as Google Faces Backlash Over Forest Clearance for AI Data Centre

Google is facing widespread criticism in Finland after reportedly clearing approximately 250,000 trees across 330 hectares of forest near Muhos, in the country’s rural north, to make way for a new data centre.

The controversy centres on claims that the company cleared the land before completing the required environmental impact assessments, sparking a national debate over the environmental costs of the global race to expand AI infrastructure.

Google’s Finland country manager, Antti Järvinen, has apologised for the forest clearance, saying the company acted based on its understanding of the legislation at the time.

With 145 data centres reportedly at different stages of planning across Finland, concerns are growing over the country’s role in the expanding AI industry and the potential consequences for local ecosystems.

The Guardian’s Nordic correspondent, Miranda Bryant, examines why Finland has become a major destination for technology companies investing in AI infrastructure, while ecologist Mari Annala discusses the possible environmental impact of the tree-felling.

What’s your take? Should technological advancement come at the expense of natural forests?