Just the energy use from the ICT industry stands for more than 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is as much emissions as from all air traffic in the world.
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Is electronic communication more environmental-friendly?
When it comes to sustainability, it is important to separate the facts from the myths. A wide-spread message is that you can "go green" by only using digital media, but the electronic media – naturally – also has environmental impacts.
Messages like "go green" by going digital are misleading
“Go paperless”, “go green” or “save trees” are common messages that many organisations use to promote a switch from communication on paper to to electronic transactions and communications. The organisation TwoSides monitors this type of messages in order to debunk the myths.
"These sort of messages give the impression that electronic communication is more environmentally friendly than paper-based communication", writes TwoSides.
So, what's the truth? As a result from the engagement by Two Sides, over 1000 of the world’s largest organisations have removed misleading statements that say moving to digital communications is better for the environment.
Reports show that the environmental impact of digital technology is often underestimated. The environmental footprint of digital technology is large, and it hasn't stopped growing. Follow along to read about some of the latest findings.
The ICT industry footprint is large – and growing
The information and communication technology, ICT industry sector, is "the manufacturing and services industries whose products primarily fulfil or enable the function of information processing and communication by electronic means”, defined by OECD. According to the European commission in 2020 the ICT industry accounts for 5-9% of the world's electricity use. The emissions from the energy use alone stood for more than 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2020.
"The growth of the ICT sector in recent years has been unprecedented and is projected to keep that steady pace," writes the mobile network operators' organisation GSMA Europe, which also states that there are growing concerns about the industry’s environmental footprint.
Reducing the ICT sector carbon emissions also goes beyond meeting the energy efficiency goals. It includes "more complex challenges, such as finding ways to ensure sustainable supply chains", according to GSMA.
Why the ICT industry footprint keeps growing
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Electronic communication is increasing
If left unchecked, the ICT footprint could increase to as much as 14% of global emissions by 2040, according to the European Commission, 2020. Meanwhile, a Greenpeace estimation says that by 2025 the information technology sector could consume 20% of the world's total electricity.
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Quadrupled cloud services
Businesses and individuals are increasingly using ‘cloud’ services. These mega data centres store almost everything we do online, including our web searches, our social media posts and our online statements, reports TwoSides.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, data centers in the U.S already in 2016 accounted for 1.5% of all the nation's electricity consumption, and their carbon emissions were expected to quadruple in only four years, up to 680 million tons per year in 2020. The internet may seem invisible, writes TB Tech, and it’s not often that we consider how many servers are actually propping up our wireless lifestyles.
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The electronic waste problem
In 2019, the ICT industry was responsible for a gigantic 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste across the world, reports TwoSides. That’s equivalent to the weight of 350 cruise ships. The waste disposal has gone up by an alarming 21% over the past five years, and recycling activities are not keeping pace with the growth.
Raw materials from digital equipment, servers and power generators are often finite, precious and non-renewable, as well as being notoriously difficult to recycle.
Calling out greenwash statements
TwoSides calls out greenwashing. Over 750 of the world’s largest organisations have removed misleading statements that said digital communications was better for the environment. In our increasingly digital world electronic and paper-based communications coexist and are often complementary. Help set the facts straight.
Want to know more about sustainability in Holmen?
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