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UN warns of the environmental impact of the digital economy

Digitization, while essential for economic growth, also has worrying environmental repercussions. The UN calls for sustainable policies to manage this boom.

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Global digital transformation, accelerated by the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), is bringing with it significant environmental challenges. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), developing countries bear a disproportionate share of these impacts. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns of the risks of unregulated digital development.
The data centers required to run digital technologies consume huge amounts of electricity and water. At the same time, the extraction of raw materials for digital devices depletes natural resources, exacerbating environmental challenges.

Greenhouse gas emissions

Technology giants such as Google and Microsoft, although committed to carbon neutrality policies, are seeing their greenhouse gas emissions rise. Google recently reported a 48% increase in emissions compared to 2020, while Microsoft noted a 29% increase.
The rise of generative AI is driving these companies to invest massively, with a projected $1,000 billion commitment to infrastructure and data centers over the next few years. Despite these investments, concrete results in terms of sustainability remain limited.

Energy Consumption and Mineral Resources

Power consumption by data centers reached 460 terawatt-hours in 2022, and could double by 2026. In Ireland, this consumption has quadrupled since 2015, accounting for 18% of national electricity in 2022, with a projection to 28% by 2031.
Extraction of the minerals needed to manufacture electronic components, such as lithium and cobalt, is set to increase by 500% between now and 2050. The manufacture of a single computer requires around 800 kg of raw materials, illustrating the enormous demand on resources.

The Challenges of Cryptocurrency

The energy required to mine Bitcoin, the most widely used cryptocurrency, increased by 34% between 2015 and 2023. Annual consumption of 121 terawatt-hours exceeds that of countries like Belgium and Finland, representing a significant energy burden.
UNCTAD’s Shamika Sirimanne stresses the need to start discussing the responsible use of AI before it’s too late. Digitization, while driving economic growth, must be sustainable and inclusive.
The current situation calls for robust policies to ensure sustainable and equitable digital growth, minimizing environmental impacts while promoting innovation and technological development.

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