Specific Aspects of the Impact of Digital Activities and Services in the Bilan Carbone®

The Digital Carbon Footprint in France

D’après l’Autorité de régulation des communications électroniques, des postes et de la distribution de la presse (Arcep), le domaine du numérique contribue actuellement à hauteur de 3 à 4 % des émissions mondiales de gaz à effet de serre (GES) et à 2,5 % de l’empreinte carbone de la France. Ainsi, son empreinte environnementale reste relativement faible par rapport à d’autres secteurs comme les transports, 31%, ou encore le bâtiment, 23%. Cependant, en raison de sa croissance rapide, les émissions de GES de l’industrie du numérique pourraient augmenter de 60 % d’ici 2040, représentant alors 6,7 % des émissions de GES nationales. Des usages du quotidien y contribuent aussi, à l’image de la pollution mail, souvent oubliée.

Implementing measures to sustainably reduce activities related to information and communication technologies (ICT) is therefore becoming a key challenge in the fight against climate change.

What Regulations Are Needed for the Digital Sector?

The 2021 Act to Reduce the Environmental Footprint of the Digital Sector (REEN) was enacted to address the sector’s environmental challenges. This law applies to all stakeholders involved in the digital value chain, including industry professionals, public sector entities, and consumers. It is based on five key objectives:

✅ Raise awareness of the environmental impact of digital technology by fostering a collective sense of responsibility,

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

✅ Encourage environmentally responsible digital practices by promoting measures aimed at reducing energy consumption, improving data management, and minimizing the environmental impact of digital services,

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

✅Promote the adoption of a responsible digital strategy at the regional level by encouraging local governments to incorporate environmental criteria into their digital policies and to support innovative initiatives in this area.

The REEN Act therefore aims to engage all stakeholders in the sector in a transition toward more sustainable and environmentally responsible practices.

The 2020 Anti-Waste Act for a Circular Economy (AGEC) also proposes measures for this sector and recommends:

✅ Disclosing the carbon footprint to consumers: Internet and telecommunications providers are required to inform customers of the greenhouse gas equivalent of their Internet and mobile data usage. This is intended to raise consumer awareness of the environmental impacts of their digital habits.

✅ Combating planned obsolescence with a repairability index: Sellers of electrical and electronic equipment, including online sellers, must display a repairability index for nine product categories. This index lets consumers know whether a product is more or less repairable, thereby encouraging them to choose durable, repairable products and extend their lifespan.

How to Calculate the Carbon Footprint of Digital Technology

You can't reduce what you haven't measured, which is why calculating the digital sector's carbon footprint is the first key step toward reducing this industry's emissions.

🌿 What makes up the digital carbon footprint?

According to ADEME (the French Agency for Ecological Transition) and Arcep, the digital sector’s carbon footprint in 2022 breaks down as follows:

👉 Between 65% and 92% of the carbon footprint comes from end devices, particularly monitors and televisions, which account for the majority of the environmental impact

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

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

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

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

To conduct a comprehensive and detailed assessment of a company’s digital footprint, the preferred methodology is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This approach is guided by international standards and public guidelines, making it the ideal method for taking into account the entire life cycle of digital activities and services, thereby providing a comprehensive and clear overview of the emissions generated by these activities.

LCA provides a framework for:

♻️Multi-criteria: The environmental impacts of digital technology are not limited to greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, this assessment of the environmental impact of digital technology is based on numerous environmental indicators in addition to its carbon footprint;

♻️Multi-stage: The LCA takes into account the impacts generated at each stage of a product’s life cycle, including the manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life phases;

♻️ Multi-component: Taking multiple components into account when analyzing the digital footprint provides a better understanding of complex digital systems, which consist of multiple devices, each with its own life cycle. Adopting a multi-component approach allows us to break down the digital sector into different hardware categories —such as end devices, networks, and data centers—to gain a clear picture of what generates the most emissions within each category. This category-based approach provides a better understanding of how emissions are distributed and helps identify areas where actions can be taken to reduce GHG emissions from the digital sector.

📊 The Role of Bilan Carbone® in Decarbonizing Digital Activities

The Bilan Carbone® plays a crucial role for a company committed to decarbonization, as it helps identify opportunities for improvement as well as the most significant sources of emissions. To adapt the Bilan Carbone® to the digital sector, several specific steps must be followed:

1. Identify sources of emissions 🌿

Digital activities can generate carbon emissions from several sources, including data centers, IT equipment, network infrastructure, and so on. The first step is to identify these sources, as this makes it possible to categorize the emissions.

2. Collect data 📋

The second step is to gather the data relevant to the LCA, as well as data on the energy consumption of the company’s digital equipment. This data collection may include, for example, the electricity consumption of data centers, servers, and network equipment, as well as the duration of use of this equipment.

3. Calculate direct and indirect emissions using emission factors 🎯

Direct emissions (Scope 1 and 2) are primarily related to the energy consumption of IT equipment. The data collected in Step 2 will therefore be used to estimate the amount of carbon emitted from electricity consumption. We can rely on the carbon emission factors provided by electricity suppliers or use standard emission factors for electricity.

Indirect emissions (Scope 3) include those from the entire digital supply chain, including manufactured equipment, network infrastructure, and third-party activities. These emissions can be more complex to calculate, as they require a thorough life cycle analysis. Don’t hesitate to consult a Decarbo’Solution®-certified expert to carry out this step. This ensures more accurate estimates—and, most importantly, compliance with current regulations.

4. Apply accounting methods 📒

Use recognized accounting methods, such as the GHG Protocol or ADEME’s Bilan Carbone® method, to structure your carbon footprint calculation. These methods are key tools for understanding your carbon footprint and gaining a comprehensive view of the carbon impact of your digital activities.

5. Analyze and track results 🔎

Once the assessment is complete, analyzing and monitoring the results are the final steps to take. The analysis will help identify the main sources of emissions and opportunities for improvement, while monitoring will provide insight into the progress made. This allows organizations to implement strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of their digital activities.

🔵 The Decarbo’Solution® platform allows companies to complete these steps either independently or with the guidance of a certified expert. With its range of services tailored to a company’s needs and the specific characteristics of its industry, the Decarbo’Solution® platform becomes a valuable ally in implementing an effective corporate decarbonization strategy. It offers:

✅ Create customized survey templates (for a specific industry or company) that users can share with one another

✅ To simulate/quantify the emissions reduction associated with implementing a measure across the entire GHG inventory

✅ To monitor and manage the various initiatives to reduce GHG emissions over several years

What solutions are available to reduce the carbon footprint of digital technology?

There are many steps you can take to reduce your digital footprint; here are a few of them:

⚡ Adopt a digital minimalism approach

🖼️ Reduce the resolution of images and videos as much as possible

📱Keep electronic devices, such as smartphones, in use for as long as possible

🔋Prioritize the use of energy-efficient computer equipment

💻 Choose refurbished products over new ones

☁️ Limiter le stockage sur le Cloud aux seules données nécessaires afin de réduire la charge sur les datacenters

☀️ Select data centers that use a mix of renewable energy sources

What does the future hold for the digital industry?

The digital industry is currently experiencing rapid growth for several reasons:

1️⃣ The planned obsolescence of equipment pushes us to consume more and buy new products on a regular basis

2️⃣ The constant release of new models of smartphones and other digital devices encourages overconsumption in the pursuit of ever-higher performance

3️⃣ The growing presence of connected devices in our daily lives is increasing our dependence on digital technology

In light of these challenges, it is crucial to strike a balance between digital technology and the environment. In the future, this sector will need to be more strictly regulated to prevent global abuses, particularly those related to the exploitation of the resources needed to manufacture these technologies.

For more information:

• Learn more about the carbon footprint of public companies
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• Local Governments and CO2: How Can We Decarbonize?
• How Is the Financial Sector Becoming a Key Player in the Green Transition?
• SFDR: A New Turning Point for European Financial Markets
• Carbon Footprint: The Impact of Very Large Companies
• What are the specific characteristics of a carbon footprint assessment for a company in the construction industry?