The Environmental Sustainability of Digital Content Consumption

The authors find that the consumption of digital services like web surfing, social media, streaming music and video, and video conferencing could represent approximately 40% of the per capita carbon budget needed to limit global warming to 1.5 °C. This suggests that reducing carbon emissions from digital services could be a key part of efforts to mitigate global warming. To analyse these impacts, the study employs standardised life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, assessing the resource use and emissions generated throughout the life cycle of internet components—from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. The results indicate that the current infrastructure for internet consumption could drastically affect the Earth’s carrying capacity, necessitating rapid decarbonisation and measures to reduce the use of fresh raw materials in electronic devices.

The authors elaborate on the contribution of different devices to environmental impacts, revealing that the end-user devices account for the majority of impacts due to their embodied emissions from manufacturing and operation. For instance, desktop computers contribute significantly to climate impacts compared to smartphones, despite the latter being more frequently used.  The paper also discusses how the environmental impacts of digital content consumption vary depending on the electricity mix used to power end-user devices. For example, users in countries with a low-carbon electricity mix like Norway experience a much lower impact compared to those in countries reliant on fossil fuels such as India. The authors propose that decarbonising electricity production and extending the lifetime of electronic devices are crucial strategies to mitigate the climate and resource use impacts associated with digital content consumption.