Finland orders halt to work on two Google data centres

Finnish authorities have ordered a halt to construction work on two planned Google data centres after concerns were raised over the clearing of more than 300 hectares of forest. The sites form part of Google’s €13 billion (£11 billion; $15 billion) investment in Finland, announced less than a month ago and described by the company as its largest single investment in Europe. The Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV) said work at one of the tracts proceeded without a mandatory biology interaction appraisal and issued an order to suspend any measures that would “significantly change the environment” by 23 October. Google responded that it had “fallen short of our own high standards in this instance” and said it would follow the agency’s guidance. The suspension applies to preparatory work at the planned data‑centre locations in Muhos and Kajaani. According to LVV’s head of environment, Tommi Muilu, the activity included the removal of trees and topsoil, the building of site roads and retention areas, and alterations to drainage ditches. Tuike Finland, the firm overseeing Google’s data‑centre projects, has been asked to submit an update and outline how it intends to move forward by 14 October. The agency warned it could initiate “enforcement proceedings” if the company fails to comply. Hanna Halmeenpaa, chair of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, previously told AFP that “nature sites which should be preserved” had been felled. The conservation group had earlier called for a pause in work while environmental requirements were reviewed. In a statement to the BBC, Google said: “We recognize the concerns and have fallen short of our own high standards in this instance.” The company added that it had “acted in good faith under the Forestry Act”, carried out environmental surveys and put protective measures in place for areas of high ecological value.