About this Episode
Google’s planned 34‑hectare data centre in Bissen drew fresh criticism from Mouvement écologique after an Öko‑Institut study said the current design could use up to 950 GWh a year — roughly the electricity consumption of all Luxembourg households. It also stated emissions could be cut by up to 97% with measures such as exclusive renewables, waste‑heat reuse, battery storage instead of diesel generators and natural cooling. The environmental group warned it would take legal action if planning permission were granted without greater transparency and tougher standards, while Bissen’s mayor said water and noise questions had been addressed.
Luxembourg City unveiled a 5–10‑year greening plan identifying 37 sites for intervention and seven flagship projects. Four temporary pilot conversions are being trialled from mid‑July to mid‑September featuring extra planting, shading, seating and summer programming. The strategy, based on detailed heat‑island and water‑sensitivity analyses, aims to better connect green spaces, boost tree cover and create accessible pocket park. It also aims to improve urban climate resilience while also targeting 30,000 new trees by 2030, though the Greens criticised the measures as insufficient and lacking concrete timelines and impact assessments.
The Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved a bill to modernise the Tax Administration, aiming to raise electronic tax returns from 17% to 85% by 2028 while keeping a paper‑filing option. Ministers said the overhaul was needed because legacy IT dated from the 1970s–80s. The project was budgeted at €226 million and additional funds would cover training and system adaptation. The rollout however faced a possible delay after a losing bidder appealed the public procurement decision.
