Luke Barratt
@lukewbarratt.bsky.social
Investigative reporter @sourcematerial.org | Climate change, corruption, democracy | luke@source-material.org | He/Him
Pinned
Big Tech's data centres will take water from world's driest areas
Amazon, Microsoft and Google's data centres use vast amounts of water in some of the world’s driest areas and they are building more.
www.source-material.org
New from me: I've spent the last 6 months compiling a map of data centres, whose locations are generally secret, operated by Amazon, Microsoft and Google.
Cross-referencing that map with areas of water scarcity shows many are in the world's driest areas.
www.source-material.org/amazon-micro...
Cross-referencing that map with areas of water scarcity shows many are in the world's driest areas.
www.source-material.org/amazon-micro...
Good piece by @pgreenfielduk.bsky.social on the current state of the carbon markets.
Almost 3 years on from our investigation, the market is reforming, but has the Trump White House killed corporate interest in protecting forests?
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Almost 3 years on from our investigation, the market is reforming, but has the Trump White House killed corporate interest in protecting forests?
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘There is no money’: As carbon markets collapse, what happens to the forests they promised to protect?
After it was found most offsets did not represent real carbon reductions, the money dried up. But successful schemes such as Kasigau in Kenya now face a stark future
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Good piece by @pgreenfielduk.bsky.social on the current state of the carbon markets.
Almost 3 years on from our investigation, the market is reforming, but has the Trump White House killed corporate interest in protecting forests?
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Almost 3 years on from our investigation, the market is reforming, but has the Trump White House killed corporate interest in protecting forests?
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Can't recommend today's SourceMaterial offering enough, by @marcusleroux.bsky.social.
It's the story of the son of a lorry driver from Calabria who has often struggled to distance himself from the Italian mafia and is now poised to buy 11 North Sea gasfields
www.source-material.org/mazzagatti-v...
It's the story of the son of a lorry driver from Calabria who has often struggled to distance himself from the Italian mafia and is now poised to buy 11 North Sea gasfields
www.source-material.org/mazzagatti-v...
North Sea Storm – SourceMaterial
Poised to take control of ‘the backbone of the UK’s energy production’, Franceso Mazzagatti is defending allegations bribery, forgery and fraud
www.source-material.org
November 4, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Can't recommend today's SourceMaterial offering enough, by @marcusleroux.bsky.social.
It's the story of the son of a lorry driver from Calabria who has often struggled to distance himself from the Italian mafia and is now poised to buy 11 North Sea gasfields
www.source-material.org/mazzagatti-v...
It's the story of the son of a lorry driver from Calabria who has often struggled to distance himself from the Italian mafia and is now poised to buy 11 North Sea gasfields
www.source-material.org/mazzagatti-v...
Got doorknocked by Tower Hamlets Labour, who are trying to win back the Tower Hamlets mayoralty from the socialist Lutfur Rahman.
The two councillor candidates on my doorstep made the eye-opening claim that Rahman has failed to build any social housing, so I thought I'd look into it 🧵
The two councillor candidates on my doorstep made the eye-opening claim that Rahman has failed to build any social housing, so I thought I'd look into it 🧵
October 29, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Got doorknocked by Tower Hamlets Labour, who are trying to win back the Tower Hamlets mayoralty from the socialist Lutfur Rahman.
The two councillor candidates on my doorstep made the eye-opening claim that Rahman has failed to build any social housing, so I thought I'd look into it 🧵
The two councillor candidates on my doorstep made the eye-opening claim that Rahman has failed to build any social housing, so I thought I'd look into it 🧵
Just tried to sign up for Substack, didn't select any interests, and two of the first recommendations are Matt Goodwin and Nick Griffin. What on earth.
I don't support Huddersfield either but I'm less worried about impressionable people being groomed into following League One.
I don't support Huddersfield either but I'm less worried about impressionable people being groomed into following League One.
October 28, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Just tried to sign up for Substack, didn't select any interests, and two of the first recommendations are Matt Goodwin and Nick Griffin. What on earth.
I don't support Huddersfield either but I'm less worried about impressionable people being groomed into following League One.
I don't support Huddersfield either but I'm less worried about impressionable people being groomed into following League One.
New from me: I've seen an internal memo from Amazon Web Services. It reveals, for the first time, figures on water consumption by Amazon's data centres.
It is also enlightening about their approach to transparency, which they warn is "a one-way door" www.source-material.org/amazon-leak-...
It is also enlightening about their approach to transparency, which they warn is "a one-way door" www.source-material.org/amazon-leak-...
Leak reveals Amazon plan to keep water use of data centres secret
Amazon strategised about ways to keep the public in the dark over the true extent of its data centres’ water use, a leaked internal document reveals.
www.source-material.org
October 27, 2025 at 12:11 PM
New from me: I've seen an internal memo from Amazon Web Services. It reveals, for the first time, figures on water consumption by Amazon's data centres.
It is also enlightening about their approach to transparency, which they warn is "a one-way door" www.source-material.org/amazon-leak-...
It is also enlightening about their approach to transparency, which they warn is "a one-way door" www.source-material.org/amazon-leak-...
Reposted by Luke Barratt
'Amazon hides its water consumption' was one hypothetical headline the memo warned of
always amusing when someone writes down the thing they don't want to happen
nice work from @lukewbarratt.bsky.social @rosafurneaux.bsky.social @source-material.org
www.source-material.org/amazon-leak-...
always amusing when someone writes down the thing they don't want to happen
nice work from @lukewbarratt.bsky.social @rosafurneaux.bsky.social @source-material.org
www.source-material.org/amazon-leak-...
Leak reveals Amazon plan to keep water use of data centres secret
Amazon strategised about ways to keep the public in the dark over the true extent of its data centres’ water use, a leaked internal document reveals.
www.source-material.org
October 27, 2025 at 11:19 AM
'Amazon hides its water consumption' was one hypothetical headline the memo warned of
always amusing when someone writes down the thing they don't want to happen
nice work from @lukewbarratt.bsky.social @rosafurneaux.bsky.social @source-material.org
www.source-material.org/amazon-leak-...
always amusing when someone writes down the thing they don't want to happen
nice work from @lukewbarratt.bsky.social @rosafurneaux.bsky.social @source-material.org
www.source-material.org/amazon-leak-...
I'm extremely proud of all my SourceMaterial colleagues today for their work over the last year
We're very proud to be shortlisted in the British Journalism Awards alongside many other excellent journalists.
Here's a quick 🧵 of the stories included in our submission:
Here's a quick 🧵 of the stories included in our submission:
October 23, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I'm extremely proud of all my SourceMaterial colleagues today for their work over the last year
Reposted by Luke Barratt
🔴 NEW 🔴
Nigel Farage will this afternoon headline an anti-climate event at 55 Tufton Street convened by a lobby group with close ties to Trump.
📝 @desmog.com scoop with @adambarnett.bsky.social
Nigel Farage will this afternoon headline an anti-climate event at 55 Tufton Street convened by a lobby group with close ties to Trump.
📝 @desmog.com scoop with @adambarnett.bsky.social
Nigel Farage to Headline Tufton Street Climate Denial Event
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is set to speak at an event today organised by a pro-Trump think tank and held in the home of the UK’s main climate science denial group, DeSmog can reveal. Farage, whose...
www.desmog.com
June 18, 2025 at 12:14 PM
🔴 NEW 🔴
Nigel Farage will this afternoon headline an anti-climate event at 55 Tufton Street convened by a lobby group with close ties to Trump.
📝 @desmog.com scoop with @adambarnett.bsky.social
Nigel Farage will this afternoon headline an anti-climate event at 55 Tufton Street convened by a lobby group with close ties to Trump.
📝 @desmog.com scoop with @adambarnett.bsky.social
“What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: indiscriminate, limitless, cruel, and criminal killing of civilians. It’s the result of government policy—knowingly, evilly, maliciously, irresponsibly dictated. Yes, Israel is committing war crimes.”
—Ex-Israeli PM
nymag.com/intelligence...
—Ex-Israeli PM
nymag.com/intelligence...
Israel’s Crimes of the Century
How Israel, with the help of the U.S., broke not only Gaza but the foundations of humanitarian law.
nymag.com
June 17, 2025 at 9:19 AM
“What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: indiscriminate, limitless, cruel, and criminal killing of civilians. It’s the result of government policy—knowingly, evilly, maliciously, irresponsibly dictated. Yes, Israel is committing war crimes.”
—Ex-Israeli PM
nymag.com/intelligence...
—Ex-Israeli PM
nymag.com/intelligence...
The Onion has suddenly become the Western world's most necessary news outlet
This Fathers Day 25% off deal will be written about in the history book of pretty good sales:
Join The Onion
Don’t just read the news. Feel it. Be among the first to feel the news.
membership.theonion.com
June 13, 2025 at 6:55 PM
The Onion has suddenly become the Western world's most necessary news outlet
Reposted by Luke Barratt
Great story here, with powerful details on the local environmental injustices and settler colonial dynamics related to data centers.
May 21, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Great story here, with powerful details on the local environmental injustices and settler colonial dynamics related to data centers.
Reposted by Luke Barratt
No one has ever LinkedIn this hard.
I am CRINE.
I am CRINE.
May 21, 2025 at 12:40 PM
No one has ever LinkedIn this hard.
I am CRINE.
I am CRINE.
Reposted by Luke Barratt
One thing that tells you a particular social, cultural or political viewpoint is widespread, common sense, normal and uncontroversial is when a corporate representative of a household name global brand feels the need to come out and publicly distance their brand and products from said viewpoint.
An HBO executive has promised fans of the Harry Potter franchise that the upcoming reboot television series will not be “infused” with J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans beliefs.
HBO Exec Promises 'Harry Potter' Series 'Not Secretly Being Infused' With J.K. Rowling's Anti-Trans Rhetoric
An HBO exec has promised fans of the Harry Potter franchise that the upcoming TV series will not be "infused" with J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans beliefs.
rollingstone.com
May 3, 2025 at 12:47 PM
One thing that tells you a particular social, cultural or political viewpoint is widespread, common sense, normal and uncontroversial is when a corporate representative of a household name global brand feels the need to come out and publicly distance their brand and products from said viewpoint.
Feels significant: the FT has published an editorial calling out "the West's shameful silence on Gaza".
It writes: "Each new offensive makes it harder not to suspect that [Netanyahu aims] to ensure Gaza is uninhabitable and drive Palestinians from their land."
www.ft.com/content/f5fd...
It writes: "Each new offensive makes it harder not to suspect that [Netanyahu aims] to ensure Gaza is uninhabitable and drive Palestinians from their land."
www.ft.com/content/f5fd...
The west’s shameful silence on Gaza
The US and European allies should do more to restrain Benjamin Netanyahu
www.ft.com
May 7, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Feels significant: the FT has published an editorial calling out "the West's shameful silence on Gaza".
It writes: "Each new offensive makes it harder not to suspect that [Netanyahu aims] to ensure Gaza is uninhabitable and drive Palestinians from their land."
www.ft.com/content/f5fd...
It writes: "Each new offensive makes it harder not to suspect that [Netanyahu aims] to ensure Gaza is uninhabitable and drive Palestinians from their land."
www.ft.com/content/f5fd...
Reposted by Luke Barratt
Isobel Oakeshott is a Reform cheerleader - but in 2018 she said the Kremlin “struck gold” with Arron Banks, who Reform’s West of England mayoral candidate. The article is still online.
New from @marcusleroux.bsky.social on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/does-isabe...
New from @marcusleroux.bsky.social on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/does-isabe...
Does Isabel Oakeshott still believe Arron Banks was “used by the Russians”?
Oakeshott is a Reform cheerleader but in 2018 she said the Kremlin “struck gold” with the party’s West of England mayoral candidate. The article is still online.
democracyforsale.substack.com
May 1, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Isobel Oakeshott is a Reform cheerleader - but in 2018 she said the Kremlin “struck gold” with Arron Banks, who Reform’s West of England mayoral candidate. The article is still online.
New from @marcusleroux.bsky.social on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/does-isabe...
New from @marcusleroux.bsky.social on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/does-isabe...
Not the most important thing about 'White Potus' but SNL's sketches are always *way* too long. They have one idea and try to string it out for five whole minutes.
April 15, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Not the most important thing about 'White Potus' but SNL's sketches are always *way* too long. They have one idea and try to string it out for five whole minutes.
Reposted by Luke Barratt
"The European Commission’s AI Continent Action Plan is closer to fiction than reality. Steeped in hype, the EU will burn more fossil fuels, rinse and repeat the past, all in the name of leadership."
My piece on @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/the-eu-ai-co...
My piece on @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/the-eu-ai-co...
The EU AI Continent Action Plan: Hype, Burn, Rinse, and Repeat | TechPolicy.Press
The Commission's plan is not just to have more data centres and more data approaches, but also to repeat past announcements, writes Kris Shrishak.
www.techpolicy.press
April 10, 2025 at 3:28 PM
"The European Commission’s AI Continent Action Plan is closer to fiction than reality. Steeped in hype, the EU will burn more fossil fuels, rinse and repeat the past, all in the name of leadership."
My piece on @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/the-eu-ai-co...
My piece on @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/the-eu-ai-co...
Reposted by Luke Barratt
No it is not "in the cloud", but very much down to Earth.
And #ClimateEmergency not the only threat - what about water and other resource use?
So we can have such #AI slop as "shrimp Jesus"?
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
And #ClimateEmergency not the only threat - what about water and other resource use?
So we can have such #AI slop as "shrimp Jesus"?
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Energy demands from AI datacentres to quadruple by 2030, says report
The IEA forecast indicates a sharp rise in the requirements of AI, but said threat to the climate was ‘overstated’
www.theguardian.com
April 10, 2025 at 7:15 AM
No it is not "in the cloud", but very much down to Earth.
And #ClimateEmergency not the only threat - what about water and other resource use?
So we can have such #AI slop as "shrimp Jesus"?
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
And #ClimateEmergency not the only threat - what about water and other resource use?
So we can have such #AI slop as "shrimp Jesus"?
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Luke Barratt
New from me: I've spent the last 6 months compiling a map of data centres, whose locations are generally secret, operated by Amazon, Microsoft and Google.
Cross-referencing that map with areas of water scarcity shows many are in the world's driest areas.
www.source-material.org/amazon-micro...
Cross-referencing that map with areas of water scarcity shows many are in the world's driest areas.
www.source-material.org/amazon-micro...
Big Tech's data centres will take water from world's driest areas
Amazon, Microsoft and Google's data centres use vast amounts of water in some of the world’s driest areas and they are building more.
www.source-material.org
April 9, 2025 at 12:02 PM
New from me: I've spent the last 6 months compiling a map of data centres, whose locations are generally secret, operated by Amazon, Microsoft and Google.
Cross-referencing that map with areas of water scarcity shows many are in the world's driest areas.
www.source-material.org/amazon-micro...
Cross-referencing that map with areas of water scarcity shows many are in the world's driest areas.
www.source-material.org/amazon-micro...
Reposted by Luke Barratt
Revealed: Big tech’s new datacentres will take water from the world’s driest areas
A really clever data story from @source-material.org and the Guardian.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
A really clever data story from @source-material.org and the Guardian.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Revealed: Big tech’s new datacentres will take water from the world’s driest areas
Amazon, Google and Microsoft are building datacentres in water-scarce parts of five continents
www.theguardian.com
April 9, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Revealed: Big tech’s new datacentres will take water from the world’s driest areas
A really clever data story from @source-material.org and the Guardian.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
A really clever data story from @source-material.org and the Guardian.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
New from me: I've spent the last 6 months compiling a map of data centres, whose locations are generally secret, operated by Amazon, Microsoft and Google.
Cross-referencing that map with areas of water scarcity shows many are in the world's driest areas.
www.source-material.org/amazon-micro...
Cross-referencing that map with areas of water scarcity shows many are in the world's driest areas.
www.source-material.org/amazon-micro...
Big Tech's data centres will take water from world's driest areas
Amazon, Microsoft and Google's data centres use vast amounts of water in some of the world’s driest areas and they are building more.
www.source-material.org
April 9, 2025 at 12:02 PM
New from me: I've spent the last 6 months compiling a map of data centres, whose locations are generally secret, operated by Amazon, Microsoft and Google.
Cross-referencing that map with areas of water scarcity shows many are in the world's driest areas.
www.source-material.org/amazon-micro...
Cross-referencing that map with areas of water scarcity shows many are in the world's driest areas.
www.source-material.org/amazon-micro...
Fascinating story from @dominicponsford.bsky.social on the mainstream news outlets in the UK that have quoted 'experts' who, it turns out, don't even exist
pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/d...
pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/d...
Virtual reality: The widely-quoted media experts who are not what they seem
Press Gazette investigation into the widely-quoted national media experts who either do not exist, or whose credentials have not been checked.
pressgazette.co.uk
April 7, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Fascinating story from @dominicponsford.bsky.social on the mainstream news outlets in the UK that have quoted 'experts' who, it turns out, don't even exist
pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/d...
pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/d...
I was interviewed for the latest File on 4!
It was really interesting working with the team as they looked at various issues with the UK's biggest carbon offsetting registry, from the potential exploitation of forest communities to issues with carbon counting.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
It was really interesting working with the team as they looked at various issues with the UK's biggest carbon offsetting registry, from the potential exploitation of forest communities to issues with carbon counting.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - File on 4 Investigates, The Carbon Offset Trap
Max de Haldevang investigates problems with carbon offset projects.
www.bbc.co.uk
April 4, 2025 at 9:37 AM
I was interviewed for the latest File on 4!
It was really interesting working with the team as they looked at various issues with the UK's biggest carbon offsetting registry, from the potential exploitation of forest communities to issues with carbon counting.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
It was really interesting working with the team as they looked at various issues with the UK's biggest carbon offsetting registry, from the potential exploitation of forest communities to issues with carbon counting.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Reposted by Luke Barratt
The Carbon Offset Trap: BBC File on 4 has taken an in-depth look at the current state of carbon markets.
Our reporter @lukewbarratt.bsky.social spoke to them about some of their findings.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Our reporter @lukewbarratt.bsky.social spoke to them about some of their findings.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - File on 4 Investigates, The Carbon Offset Trap
Max de Haldevang investigates problems with carbon offset projects.
www.bbc.co.uk
April 4, 2025 at 9:32 AM
The Carbon Offset Trap: BBC File on 4 has taken an in-depth look at the current state of carbon markets.
Our reporter @lukewbarratt.bsky.social spoke to them about some of their findings.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Our reporter @lukewbarratt.bsky.social spoke to them about some of their findings.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Reposted by Luke Barratt
"Yes, there’s danger in opening our gates to this statue. But there’s also danger in keeping it out… the danger of eroding the sanctity of the gift-giving process."
Senator Schumer Votes to Let the Big Wooden Horse into Troy
“In the wake of votes by a handful of key Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, to pass a GOP-led continuing resolution funding f...
www.mcsweeneys.net
March 22, 2025 at 12:30 PM
"Yes, there’s danger in opening our gates to this statue. But there’s also danger in keeping it out… the danger of eroding the sanctity of the gift-giving process."