This report focuses on the environmental impacts and response strategies arising from the rapid development of the global digital economy. As the digitalization process accelerates, digital technologies on a global scale are being widely applied across various industries and aspects of daily life. While this has contributed to economic growth and social progress, it has also brought significant environmental challenges. The report reveals the environmental impact of digital technologies and their infrastructure throughout their lifecycle, including raw material extraction, equipment manufacturing, energy consumption, and waste disposal. These processes generate large amounts of carbon emissions, electronic waste, and water waste.

The report indicates that the carbon footprint of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector now accounts for 1.5% to 3.2% of global emissions, approaching the level of emissions from the shipping industry. In 2020, the ICT sector’s greenhouse gas emissions were estimated to be between 690 million to 1.6 billion metric tons of CO2-equivalent. With the rise of emerging technologies such as 5G networks, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI), the environmental footprint of the digital economy is expected to expand further, particularly in terms of energy consumption and waste generation. The energy demand of data centers, servers, and network infrastructure has surged. By 2026, global data center electricity consumption is projected to reach 1,000 terawatt-hours, nearly equivalent to France’s total electricity consumption in 2022. Another major challenge of digitalization is the rapid increase in electronic waste (e-waste). Since 2010, the amount of global e-waste has grown by 30%, reaching 10.5 million metric tons in 2022, with only 24% of this waste being formally recycled. The report points out that developed countries generate an average of 3.25 kilograms of e-waste per person, compared to less than 1 kilogram in developing countries, and just 0.21 kilograms in the least developed countries. These disparities not only reflect global inequalities in access to electronic products but also reveal the international imbalance in e-waste management. A large volume of obsolete equipment flows from developed countries to developing countries, where the lack of technology and resources to handle this waste results in heightened environmental and health risks.

Nevertheless, the report also highlights the potential of digital technologies to address environmental challenges. Digital technologies can offer innovative solutions to mitigate climate change by improving energy efficiency, optimizing resource use, and reducing carbon emissions. When properly managed, digitalization can contribute to achieving global sustainable development goals. To this end, the report offers a series of policy recommendations, including promoting the transition of the digital economy towards a circular economy, increasing the use of renewable energy, enhancing e-waste recycling capabilities, and ensuring that the development of the digital economy is more inclusive and equitable. Additionally, the report calls for strengthened global governance, particularly in the intersection of the digital economy and environmental sustainability, with unified global standards and frameworks to promote cooperation and knowledge sharing among countries. Developed countries should provide more support to developing countries in terms of technology transfer and capacity building to help them reduce the environmental burden of digital transformation while also benefiting from the opportunities brought by the digital economy.