Digital technology threatens the planet and its inhabitants
Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:26 am
All this for what, exactly? This is the third point. How does digital technology contribute to “sustainable development”? To reducing greenhouse gas emissions? To saving soils, biodiversity, etc.?
The Smart 2020 report gambling data qatar promised in 2008 a 20% reduction in greenhouse gases, thanks to digital technology. It is now 2020 and nothing has happened. The ICT sector represents 3% of global GHG emissions , which was more or less what the report predicted. But for other sectors, nothing has happened: while digital technology has become widespread, emissions are increasing everywhere.
The techniques put forward have nevertheless spread: "intelligent" engines have progressed everywhere, logistics are massively using digital technology and soon artificial intelligence, not to mention the common use of videoconferencing, e-commerce and transport guidance software. Energy networks are electronically controlled. But the reductions have not happened, on the contrary...
No "decoupling" of emissions from economic growth is in sight, neither in terms of GHGs nor in terms of other parameters such as material consumption . The OECD predicts that material consumption will almost triple by 2060.
The Smart 2020 report gambling data qatar promised in 2008 a 20% reduction in greenhouse gases, thanks to digital technology. It is now 2020 and nothing has happened. The ICT sector represents 3% of global GHG emissions , which was more or less what the report predicted. But for other sectors, nothing has happened: while digital technology has become widespread, emissions are increasing everywhere.
The techniques put forward have nevertheless spread: "intelligent" engines have progressed everywhere, logistics are massively using digital technology and soon artificial intelligence, not to mention the common use of videoconferencing, e-commerce and transport guidance software. Energy networks are electronically controlled. But the reductions have not happened, on the contrary...
No "decoupling" of emissions from economic growth is in sight, neither in terms of GHGs nor in terms of other parameters such as material consumption . The OECD predicts that material consumption will almost triple by 2060.