New Zealand’s Green Party has called for a one-year moratorium on new AI data center builds.
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The party, which is currently in opposition and holds 15 seats in the country’s parliament, argued that the moratorium was needed to ensure that data centers “genuinely benefit New Zealanders and are not straining our resources.”
Its co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said: “If we are going to let these things be built, we should at least understand who is benefiting and ensure we protect our natural resources and communities. That’s why the Greens are calling for a one-year pause, to allow intentional regulation to be developed.
"Some may argue these AI data centers could build their own renewable energy, or that they’re increasingly using closed-loop water cooling systems. That may well be the case, but our current rules don’t require any of those things. New Zealanders haven’t even had the opportunity to discuss and decide whether they want them."
