Publication: Measuring the Emissions and Energy Footprint of the ICT Sector: Implications for Climate Action
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2024-03-20
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2024-03-20
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Digitalization is increasing rapidly worldwide, requiring more energy, and resulting in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) two thirds of the world’s population are now online. Estimates of the internet and communication technology (ICT) sector’s share of global carbon emissions vary across the literature ranging from 1.5 to 4 percent. Based on the data and estimates in this report at least 1.7 percent of global emissions stem from the ICT sector. Meanwhile, one-third of the world’s population, or 2.6 billion people, remain unconnected to the internet. The large majority, about 94 percent, live in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), and less than 20 percent of LMICs have modern data infrastructure, such as co-location data centers and access to cloud computing. Connecting people in these countries will require more infrastructure and devices, which will further increase demand for scarce energy resources and drive emissions even higher if targeted interventions are not implemented. The objective of this report is two-fold. First, the report breaks down the energy and emissions profile of the sector and assesses the 30 highest emitting countries for telecommunications while providing global estimates for other ICT sector segments. The report uses a key framework for categorizing energy use and emissions, the greenhouse gas protocol corporate standard. Second, the report addresses the policy and regulatory implications inferred from this data and the examination of these issues through several country case studies.
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“World Bank; ITU. 2024. Measuring the Emissions and Energy Footprint of the ICT Sector: Implications for Climate Action. © World Bank and International Telecommunication Union. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/41238 License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.”
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