The Sky is Not the Limit: Untapped Opportunities for Green Computing

Abstract

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry emits as much carbon as the aviation industry [11], and if we continue business as usual our share of emissions will grow manyfold in the coming decade [30]. At the same time, more and more businesses are making commitments to be zero carbon or carbon neutral by 2050 or sooner. The path to zero carbon ICT has four key pillars: prioritizing renewable energy, using resources like power and water more efficiently, addressing embodied carbon, and removing institutional barriers. We discuss from a broad industry perspective the challenges and opportunities within each pillar, as well as the role ICT can play in helping other industries achieve zero carbon goals.