Austrians protest data center expansion over energy, environmental concerns

Protesters in Austria have been taking to the streets against new server farms, joining growing resistance across Europe to data center construction over fears of soaring electricity demand and environmental damage.

Hundreds of worried citizens have regularly taken part in the demonstrations.

Environmentalist Hannah Keller has been calling for a halt to new server farm construction in Austria. She wants more thorough environmental impact assessments and greater public involvement.

"Data centers are a massive problem for the climate crisis. They make every problem that we have already worse. They use ginormous amounts of water, they have incredibly high energy demands. And we just don't have enough renewable energy to fill that," said Keller.

Across Europe, protesters are pushing back against the spread of data centers, warning of possible environmental costs. In Ireland, these facilities already consumed almost a quarter of the country's electricity last year. Some activists in Austria say they do not want to see the same problems at home.

"I'm actually half-Irish and we don't want the same problems that are occurring in Ireland in Austria as well. We need to expand our renewable energy first and then we can debate if we actually need data centers," said Emma Reynolds, another environmentalist.

Around 50 server farms are currently operating in Austria, with several under construction. They include a hyperscale facility in Upper Austria with a planned power supply capacity of up to 500 megawatts plus several smaller facilities around Vienna.

"Of course we do understand people that are critical of every construction and of course of data centers. But data is the raw material of our digital society, of our digital age. Yes there is a demand for electricity but this demand for electricity is already calculated in the project phase in cooperation with the grid operator, with the power supplies," said Stefan Ebenberger, secretary general of Internet Service Providers Austria.

Ebenberger also called for shorter timelines for large projects like these, while balancing sustainability, the environment and other rights.

"We need to reduce the time frame it needs to start and finalize projects of this size and of this importance, but always taking into account and well-balancing sustainability, environment and other rights," he said.

Austrians protest data center expansion over energy, environmental concerns

Giant panda twins Jian Jian and Kang Kang departed for Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwest China's Sichuan Province on a chartered flight from the Macao Special Administrative Region on Sunday.

Upon arrival, the two pandas will undergo quarantine and health checks before moving into a new home designed to simulate their natural habitat. There, they will learn skills for adapting to the wild and experience a richer, more natural way of life.

In 2015, the central government sent two giant pandas of Kai Kai and Xin Xin to Macao. The following year, the pair gave birth to twins of Jian Jian and Kang Kang.

"This morning, the process of moving Jian Jian and Kang Kang into their transport crates went very smoothly. Born and raised in Macao, the pair has spent the last decade here, during which time we, as their keepers, have witnessed the immense care and support shown to them by the people of Macao. Now, they are heading to Chengdu for further development, we are confident that they will be just as well-loved there as they have been in Macao. Our keepers here will continue to stay updated on their well-being," said panda keeper Mok Weng Han.

Macao-born giant pandas set off for Chengdu conservation base