Between the rise of generative AI and the rollout of 5G, the digital sector is far from having revealed its full potential.
Long considered a means of dematerialized communication, it was seen as an asset for the energy and ecological transition. It is recognized for its advantages, such as reducing energy consumption through optimized transportation, teleworking, e-commerce, revolutions in various sectors, etc. Despite appearances, digital technology is not immaterial, and data requires physical media to circulate.
Awareness of digital pollution is a recent development.
Current situation
In 2022, digital technology accounts for 11% of French electricity consumption and 4.4% of the carbon footprint. This is almost the same amount as the emissions produced by the heavy goods vehicle sector.
Fifty percent of the digital sector’s carbon footprint is generated by the manufacture and operation of devices (televisions, computers, smartphones, etc.); 46% by data centers (use of search engines, the cloud, video on demand, social media, AI, etc.); and finally 4% by networks.
These figures show the concrete impact of digital technology on the environment, but they are not the only reasons that highlight the need for responsible digital technology.
Why responsible digital technology?
- Environmental and energy impact:
Digital pollution is not limited to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; it has multiple causes, including the depletion of natural resources through the extraction of metals for the manufacture of devices. Their manufacture and use also require significant water and energy consumption. Managing their waste is a major challenge, as the presence of heavy metals produces harmful substances that could contaminate soil and water. 75% of electronic waste bypasses legal recycling channels, and for those that do make it there, their design prevents the recovery of a large proportion of the raw materials.
- Health, social, and ethical impacts:
GHGs, which cause global warming, and pollution of ecosystems lead to disease. Other issues include vision impairment and nervous system disorders linked to prolonged screen use, effects on child development, addiction, etc.
Digital technology also has social (isolation, individualism) and ethical repercussions (human tragedies linked to raw material mining, illegal trade that finances civil wars, the extraction of rare earths that causes significant toxic emissions into the air or soil, child labor, non-compliance with general data protection regulations, the collection and resale of personal data, etc.).
Digital technology, once considered a driver of ecological and energy transition, has revealed significant impacts. It is therefore essential to consider how to promote responsible use.
What actions can be taken to promote responsible digital technology?
The emergence of the concept of digital sobriety is a response to this concern. It is an approach that involves designing more sober digital services and moderating daily digital use:
– Extending the life of digital equipment, in particular by preferring or promoting repair and reconditioning
– Regulate the energy consumption of data centers
– Raise user awareness of the environmental effects of bad practices (avoid digital waste: downloading content that will never be used, downloading content that is already available on our devices, streaming and downloading content that is only partially used, automatic cloud saving, and email storage).
– Regulate the digital activity of companies (the track record of digital sobriety certificates, eco-digital labels).
Sources:
https://www.greenpeace.fr/la-pollution-numerique/
Nicolaï, J.-P. et Peragin, L. (2022). Les certificats de sobriété numérique comme instrument de régulation de la pollution numérique. Revue de l’OFCE, 176(1), 229-249. https://doi.org/10.3917/reof.176.0229.
https://agirpourlatransition.ademe.fr/entreprises/conseils/transverse/numerique-responsable
https://ecoresponsable.numerique.gouv.fr/actualites/actualisation-ademe-impact/
