The specific impact of digital activities and services in the GHG inventory® report

The Carbon Footprint of the digital sector in France

According to theAutorité de régulation des communications électroniques, des postes et de la distribution de la presse (Arcep), the digital sector currently contributes 3-4% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and 2.5% of France's carbon footprint. As such, its environmental footprint remains relatively low compared with other sectors such as transport (31%) and construction (23%). However, due to its rapid growth, the digital industry's GHG emissions could increase by 60% by 2040, representing 6.7% of national GHG emissions.

Putting in place levers to sustainably reduce activities linked to information and communication technologies (ICT) is therefore becoming an important issue in the fight against climate change.

What regulations are needed for digital technology?

The Law to Reduce the Digital Environmental Footprint (REEN) of 2021 was enacted with the aim of responding to the sector's environmental challenges. This law is aimed at all players involved in the digital value chain, whether professionals in the field, public players or consumers. It is based on five key objectives:

✅ Raising awareness of the environmental footprint of digital technology by encouraging collective awareness,

✅ Limit the frequent replacement of digital devices by extending their lifespan and promoting recycling,

✅ Encourage eco-responsible digital uses by promoting practices aimed at reducing energy consumption, data management and the environmental consequences associated with digital services,

✅ Promote less energy-intensive data centers and networks by encouraging the use of more energy-efficient technologies and optimized energy management practices,

✅Foster the adoption of a responsible digital strategy at territorial level by encouraging local authorities to integrate environmental criteria into their digital policies and support innovative initiatives in this field.

The REEN law aims to commit all players in the sector to a transition towards more sustainable and environmentally responsible practices.

The Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy Act (AGEC ) of 2020, also proposes measures for the field and recommends:

✅ Communicating the carbon footprint to the consumer: internet and telephony operators are required to inform customers about the greenhouse gas equivalent of their internet and mobile data consumption. This aims to raise consumer awareness of the environmental consequences of their digital habits.

✅ Combating programmed obsolescence with a reparability index: sellers of electrical and electronic equipment, including online sellers, must display a reparability index on 9 product categories. This index lets consumers know whether a product is more or less repairable, encouraging them to opt for durable, repairable products and extend their lifespan.

How to calculate the digital carbon footprint

We can't reduce what we don't measure, which is why calculating the digital industry's carbon footprint is the first key step in reducing its emissions.

🌿 What makes up the digital carbon footprint?

According to ADEME (Agence de la transition écologique) and Arcep, the carbon footprint of digital in 2022 will be as follows:

👉 Between 65% and 92% of the carbon footprint comes from terminals, in particular screens and televisions, which generate the bulk of environmental impacts

👉 Between 4% and 20% of the carbon footprint is attributable to data centers

👉 Between 4% and 13% of the carbon footprint is linked to networks

However, to assess the real impact of electronic or terminal equipment such as computers, computer peripherals, IoT (Internet of Things) devices and consumer electronics used for communication purposes, it is essential to take into account not only the use phase (electricity consumption), but also the manufacturing phase, which is the main source of environmental impact.

📚What methodology should be used to assess the carbon footprint of the digital sector as a whole?

To carry out a complete and detailed study of a company's digital footprint, the preferred methodology is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This approach is governed by international standards and public guidelines, making it the ideal method for taking into account the entire lifecycle of digital activities and services, offering a clear, global view of the emissions generated by these activities.

LCA provides an :

♻️Multicritère: the environmental consequences of digital technology are not limited to greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, this assessment of the environmental impact of digital is based on numerous environmental indicators in addition to its carbon footprint;

♻️Multi-stages: LCA integrates the impacts generated at each stage of the equipment life cycle, including the manufacturing, distribution, use and end-of-life phases;

♻️ Multi-component: taking into account multiple components when studying the digital footprint helps us to better understand complex digital systems, which are made up of multiple pieces of equipment, each with its own life cycle. Adopting a multi-component approach allows us to break down digital systems into different hardware categories, such as terminals, networks and datacenters, in order to obtain a distinct view of what generates the most emissions in each category. This category-based approach provides a better understanding of the distribution of emissions, and enables us to target areas where action can be taken to reduce GHG emissions from digital.

📊 The role of GHG inventory® in decarbonizing digital activities

The GHG inventory® plays a crucial role for a company committed to decarbonization, as it helps to identify available opportunities for improvement, as well as the most significant sources of emissions. To adapt the GHG inventory® to the digital sector, several specific steps need to be taken:

1. Identify emission sources 🌿

Digital activities can generate carbon emissions from a number of sources, including data centers, IT equipment, network infrastructures and so on. Identifying these sources is the first step, as it enables emissions to be categorized.

2. Collect data 📋

The second step is to gather data relevant to the LCA, as well as on the energy consumption of the company's digital equipment. This can include the electricity consumption of datacenters, servers and network equipment, as well as the length of time the equipment is in use, for example.

3. Calculate direct and indirect emissions using emission factors 🎯

Direct emissions (scope 1 and 2) are mainly linked to the energy consumption of IT equipment. The data collected in step 2 will thus be used to estimate the quantity of carbon emitted by electricity consumption. This can be based on carbon emission factors supplied by electricity suppliers, or by using standard emission factors for electricity.

Indirect emissions (scope 3) include those from the entire digital supply chain, including manufactured equipment, network infrastructures and third-party activities. These emissions can be more complex to calculate, as they require an in-depth life-cycle analysis. Don't hesitate to call on a GCI-certified expert to carry out this step. The result is a more accurate estimate, and one that complies with current regulations.

4. Apply accounting methods 📒

Use recognized accounting methods such as the GHG Protocol or ADEME's GHG inventory® method, to structure your carbon footprint calculation. These methods are key tools for understanding your carbon inventory, and for gaining an overall view of the carbon weight of your digital activities.

5. Analyze and monitor results 🔎

Once the Bilan has been carried out, analysis and monitoring of the results are the last actions to be taken. Analysis will identify the main sources of emissions and opportunities for improvement, while monitoring will provide a vision of the progress made. In this way, strategies can be put in place to reduce the carbon footprint of digital activities.

🔵 The GCI platform makes it possible to carry out these steps independently, or with the support of a certified expert. Thanks to its panel of services tailored to the needs of the company and the specificities of its sector, the GCI platform becomes a valuable ally in the implementation of an effective decarbonization strategy for companies. It offers :

✅ Create customized questionnaire templates (for a specific industry or company), which users can share with each other

✅ Simulate/quantify the reduction in emissions associated with the implementation of an action for the entire GHG assessment.

✅ Monitor and control GHG emissions reduction actions over several years

What are the solutions for reducing the carbon impact of the digital age?

There are many things you can do to reduce your digital footprint:

⚡ Adopt a digital sobriety approach

🖼️ Reduce image and video resolution as much as possible

📱Keep electronic equipment like smartphones as long as possible

🔋Prioritize the use of energy-efficient IT equipment

💻 Opt for refurbished products rather than new ones

☁️ Limit cloud storage to only the data you need to reduce the load on data centers

☀️ Select data centers using a renewable energy mix

What does the future hold for the digital industry?

The digital industry is currently booming for a number of reasons:

1️⃣ The programmed obsolescence of equipment drives us to consume more and buy new products on a regular basis.

2️⃣ The constant production of new models of smartphones and other digital devices encourages over-consumption in the quest for ever-higher performance.

3️⃣ The growing presence of connected objects in our daily lives reinforces our dependence on digital technology.

Faced with these challenges, it is crucial to harmonize the digital and the environment. In the future, this sector will need to be more strictly regulated to prevent abuses around the world, particularly in relation to the exploitation of the resources needed to manufacture these technologies.