The Growing Footprint of Digitalisation - Foresight Brief

United Nations Environment Programme

The Growing Footprint of Digitalisation - Foresight Brief

dc.contributor.author	United Nations Environment Programme
dc.contributor.organization	Science Division
dc.date.accessioned	2021-11-17T13:45:25Z
dc.date.available	2021-11-17T13:45:25Z
dc.date.issued	2021-11
dc.description	Since 2010, the number of internet users worldwide has doubled, and the global internet traffic has grown 12-fold. The digital services that we enjoy are sometimes referred to as “dematerialized technologies”, but is this really the case? Computers, servers and other electronic devices require large amounts of natural resources. The energy to run them emits high amounts of CO2 , and programmed obsolescence and the low percentage of recycling are generating e-waste. The vast majority of data in the cloud are not used. Without denying the many benefits brought by these technologies, including for the environment, it is important for users, services providers and policy makers to understand what the impacts are and to learn how we can move towards greener digital technologies.	en
dc.format	pdf
dc.identifier.uri	https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/37439
dc.language	English
dc.language	Chinese
dc.language	French
dc.language	Russian
dc.language	Spanish
dc.relation.ispartof	Foresight Brief: Early Warning, Emerging Issues and Futures
dc.rights.accessLevel	Public
dc.subject	digital technology
dc.subject	internet
dc.subject	energy technology
dc.subject	energy conservation
dc.subject	waste management
dc.subject	energy consumption
dc.subject.sdg	SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
dc.subject.sdg	SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
dc.title	The Growing Footprint of Digitalisation - Foresight Brief	en
dc.title.alternative	الأثر المتنامي للرقمنة	ar
dc.title.alternative	La huella creciente de la digitalización - Foresight Informe	es
dc.title.alternative	L’empreinte croissante de la numérisation - Note Prospective	fr
dc.title.alternative	Растущее влияние цифровизации - АНАЛИТИЧЕСКИЙ обзор	ru
dc.title.alternative	数字化的足迹与日俱增 - 前瞻研究简报	zh
dc.type	Policy brief