CIVIC LANE Spain is tightening requirements for large data-centre investors amid concerns about sustainability, resource consumption and digital sovereignty. The country also wants to capture jobs and investment from Europe's rapidly expanding AI sector. Large facilities can consume significant electricity and water while placing new demands on local infrastructure. Rejecting them entirely could mean losing investment to competing countries, but approving them without conditions can shift costs to communities. The policy choice therefore depends on which safeguard people consider non-negotiable.