Kat Jones, director of the NGO Action to Protect Rural Scotland, is spearheading a campaign demanding a temporary halt to the rapid expansion of datacentres across Scotland. The campaign highlights environmental and community concerns, urging the Scottish government to pause new projects until a thorough analysis of their environmental impact is conducted and clear guidelines on what constitutes a "green" datacentre are established. On Thursday, hundreds of protesters gathered in Edinburgh, with Jones encouraging participants from across the country to join the movement. This was the largest protest yet, following First Minister John Swinney's recent announcement of a strategic approach to datacentres that emphasizes environmental sustainability, resource use, and community benefits—though no moratorium was agreed upon. At least 20 datacentre projects are currently under consideration, with more expected, some planned in rural areas near small villages, care homes, and residential neighborhoods. Kathleen White, who is opposing a proposed £2 billion datacentre in the Lammermuir hills, called the project a "monstrosity" due to its size and location. The growing public resistance to datacentre expansion has raised concerns that it could hinder the UK’s broader strategy to promote AI-driven economic growth. UK officials have encouraged developers to look to Scotland, where renewable energy and water resources are abundant. One of the UK’s five AI growth zones will be located in Lanarkshire. Kat Jones has dismissed claims that the moratorium campaign is slowing progress, stating that local opposition is driven by the direct impact on communities. The Scottish Greens and Reform UK have also backed the campaign. Reform UK has expressed concerns about the sheer number of proposed projects, while the Greens support the moratorium, citing the high energy demands of large-scale datacentres. The Scottish government has directed planning authorities to report new datacentre applications exceeding 50MW within a week, to monitor their impact on infrastructure. Officials emphasize the economic importance of datacentres while acknowledging the need to balance growth with energy, climate, and community considerations. Public finance minister Hannah Mary Goodlad stated that the government must ensure community voices are central to decision-making, as it works to balance economic interests with environmental and social goals. Jones and her campaign continue to push for a formal national strategy to manage Scotland’s datacentre expansion, fearing that without careful planning, the country could be overwhelmed by the rapid growth of the sector.