ANZ
Brazil
America Latina
France
Germany
Italy
Portugal
North America
South Africa
Nordics
United KingdomDigital activities are often perceived as environmentally neutral, yet they carry substantial hidden costs. The energy consumed by datacenters—which support our digital infrastructures—is staggering.[1]
The environmental footprint of digital technology is largely underestimated by its users – Digital1
Digital Energy Use Explained
Electronic communication has a vast and growing environmental footprint. By 2028, North America is estimated to have over 500 million internet users, up from 400 million in 2020. [2]
Internet access has already reached more than 5 billion people (about 60% of the global population). At present, the average Internet user spends approximately seven hours per day online (>40% of their waking life), with social media and video streaming being the most widely consumed digital services (over two hours per day). Despite the ubiquity of the Internet in our lives, its environmental footprint started to gain public interest only recently, partially fueled by studies highlighting the substantial energy consumption of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. [3]
Electricity consumption from data centers, artificial intelligence (AI) and the cryptocurrency sector could double by 2026. This global demand is roughly equivalent to the electricity consumption of Japan. [4]
