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The climate imperative for Tech

The Digital and Technology sectors of global economies represent a significant capacity to facilitate decarbonisation at large. This is not only due to the size of the sector but also because Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is deeply integrated into almost all industries. To give a sense of the scale, figures from the World Bank show that total emissions of the ICT sector were 1.6 million tCO₂e in 2021, representing 0.5 percent of the UK’s total emissions from energy use. Whilst this number seems small, technology is closely intertwined with all areas of business, so reducing emissions in this sector could have far-reaching systemic impacts in facilitating emissions reduction more generally.

One of the key barriers though is a lack of clarity and awareness of the root causes of these emissions. For example, in the aviation sector, which produces similar levels of carbon emissions as the ICT sector globally, there is widespread awareness of the link between flights and emissions that cause global warming. In contrast, there is a lack of awareness about emissions from data centres and server houses, despite these being projected to increase with the growing uptake of AI-related technologies in the coming years. The rapid investment and growth within this area have already led Google and other blue-chip firms to renege on their climate targets for 2030.

A study highlighted that generating images using AI models such as Stable Diffusion XL consumes as much energy as charging a smartphone, and producing 1,000 images with these models emits the same amount of CO₂ as driving about 4.1 miles in an average gasoline-powered car. This underlines the rising environmental cost of AI deployment and further highlights the urgent need for awareness and action in this space.

Efforts are being made to address this through reporting and measurement, with the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting Regulation (SECR) providing a comprehensive framework for understanding emissions in the UK ICT sector.

Reflections from COP29

Green Digital Action, originally launched at COP28, is a fantastic sector initiative that aims to “unite the global digital community in developing practical solutions, boosting industry-wide climate support, and strengthening global frameworks for monitoring and reporting”.

The COP 29 Declaration on Green Digital Action recognised the efforts of multiple parties by highlighting that “digital innovations can have enabling and systemic effects in reducing GHG emissions across various economic sectors and adapting to climate change impacts when properly used and governed”. So, it’s important to recognise that the Digital and Tech Sector can be a wheelhouse for other industries to decarbonise. The declaration received endorsements from 75 countries and over 1170 non-state entities.

It also expressed deep concern towards the “potential effects that disinformation and misinformation may have on the credibility of scientific knowledge…as well as on public awareness, mobilisation and collective action to prevent and combat these impacts”.

To move the needle in the right direction, several key actions were affirmed and promoted by the mandates, including:

Leveraging Digital Technologies and Tools for Climate Action
Encourage the development and adoption of sustainable digital technologies to accelerate GHG emissions abatement, reductions, and removal, as well as improve energy efficiency across sectors.

Promoting Digital Inclusion and Literacy
Advocate for the accessibility of digital technologies for climate action in developing countries, including Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. This involves supporting digital skills, digital literacy and capacity-building initiatives, especially for young people and women. It also involves fostering local digital ecosystems by providing support and resources for startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and research institutions working on sustainable digital solutions.

Encouraging Sustainable Consumer Practices
Promote awareness and education on sustainable digital consumption and practices among consumers.

It’s abundantly clear that education and awareness – key foundations of The Carbon Literacy Project – are vital to addressing these global challenges.

Insights from the London Climate Tech Show

At the London Climate Tech Show 2024, the focus was on pioneering innovations to decarbonise the digital and tech sectors. Key discussions centred around carbon capture, sustainable mobility solutions, and the urgent need to address Scope 3 emissions within supply chains. These insights emphasised the importance of not only technological advancements but also understanding how we can measure and reduce emissions across systems.

Carbon Literacy at LCTS

As the official Charity Partner at LCTS, we hosted a workshop focused on the need for Carbon Literacy in the sector, sparking discussions on how to decarbonise and the co-benefits of climate action. It was inspiring to see so many organisations, ranging from start-ups to large enterprises, fully engage with the idea of embedding a low-carbon culture across their operations. Collaboration emerged as a key theme – both within organisations and across the sector, where collective efforts can deliver more impactful solutions. The tech sector increasingly recognises that its workforce plays a vital role in delivering climate solutions, underscoring the need for comprehensive education and empowerment to drive meaningful change.

Carbon Literacy for the Digital & Tech Sector

Whilst sustainability managers and the emerging generation of sector staff could be considered as those familiar with the impacts of emissions and climate change, it’s clear that this is not a knowledge base enjoyed by most staff working in the sector. Specifically, when it comes to digital emissions and behaviours, this gap is even wider.

As we have seen, there is an imperative for organisations to start making progress towards decarbonisation, and this is not an easy task if people are unaware of why these changes need to be made. For example, no one will be prepared to foot the bill for sustainably powered data centres if the wider sector doesn’t recognise that this is an area of high emissions risk, especially with AI-led growth and investment expected in the near term.

This is where Carbon Literacy can be very powerful. The foundational knowledge is an essential piece of the puzzle, ensuring that both senior stakeholders and those starting their careers do not feel isolated in their resolution to use technology in a positive and impactful way – one that can improve the lives of ourselves and those around us, both now and the important years to come.

The upcoming Carbon Literacy Toolkit for the Digital & Tech Sector, developed in collaboration with Auto Trader and Manchester Digital, will be instrumental in equipping the sector to drive meaningful change. This toolkit will empower learners with the knowledge and tools to drive impactful actions in both their personal and professional lives. For more information, get in touch at digital@carbonliteracy.com.