Criminal probe into Tuike Finland
Finnish police launched a criminal investigation into possible environmental law breaches at a planned Google datacentre site in rural northern Finland after reports surfaced of unauthorized land clearing. Authorities allege that Tuike Finland, a Google subsidiary, cleared and drained 330 hectares (815 acres) of forest in Muhos. This occurred before the company completed environmental impact assessments required by Finnish law. Finnish police said in a statement on Thursday that preliminary information suggests ambiguities and shortcomings in the drainage and water management at the Tuike Finland Oy construction site. Consequently, the Supervisory Agency ordered Google to halt "preparatory measures altering the environment" at the Muhos and Otanmaki sites, located 100km to the south-east, because the company failed to complete assessments before clearcutting the land. Campaigners estimate that 250,000 trees were felled at Muhos and 150,000 at Otanmaki. Antti Jarvinen, Google’s Finland country manager, apologised for the forest clearings but argued the company acted according to "the best understanding we had of the legislation at the time."
Impacts on investment and environment
| Site Location | Estimated Tree Felling |
|---|---|
| Muhos | 250,000 |
| Otanmaki | 150,000 |
Finnish authorities are considering applications for 145 new datacentres at various stages of planning, including a €13bn artificial intelligence infrastructure project by Google. This project remains Google’s largest investment in Europe. While the cool climate and geopolitical stability of the Nordic region attract tech companies that look to cut energy costs through land abundance, the Muhos and Otanmaki developments have sparked a national debate regarding environmental damage, energy prices, and the long-term impact on local communities. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said in September that attracting investment is a "top priority" and that the deal would "deliver lasting benefits" to the economy. However, Jussi Kangasharju, a professor of computer science at the University of Helsinki, said, "Really, for Finland, there are no benefits." He argued that because these international companies serve international customers, they provide little benefit for others except the datacentre operator and offer minimal benefits on a national level. More than 93,000 people signed a petition demanding more datacentre regulation and compensation for environmental damage, a situation that could impact the parliamentary elections due in April alongside concerns that datacentres bring a limited number of local jobs.
