Samuel Webb wrote this article in The Independent:
Global computing could be responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than air travel, according to new research.
The study says the carbon footprint of computers is far higher than previously thought and will continue to rise significantly unless action is taken.
Previous calculations show information communication technology’s (ICT) share of global greenhouse emissions is 1.8-2.8 per cent.
But a team of researchers from Lancaster University and sustainability consultancy Small World Consulting point out that some of these prior estimates do not account for the full life-cycle and supply chain of ICT products and infrastructure, such as the energy expended in manufacturing and disposing of the products and equipment.
The researchers argue ICT’s true proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions could be around 2.1-3.9 per cent – though they stress that there are still significant uncertainties around these calculations…