Technology and sustainability: how do we find the balance between progress and protecting our environment

Environmental Sustainability Lead, Claire Thew, explores the complex issue of technology and its impact on the world. 

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Undoubtedly, one of the most impactful innovations in the world of technology in the last 20 years has been the emergence of cloud computing. Over the last 10 years in particular, we’ve seen the majority of businesses move from big on-site server rooms to the more cost-effective, disaster-proof and space-saving solution of “cloud servers”. 

This has also come during a period when the world’s data usage has grown exponentially.

But have you ever stopped to think about what’s actually involved in the storage of all those terabytes of data? 

What if I told you that the energy required to run global data centres accounts for a greater portion of CO₂ emissions than the aviation industry? Or that data centres consume more electricity than Argentina and Columbia’s entire domestic residences?

By 2026, it’s been estimated by scientists that the power requirements of data centres will hit 1,50 terawatts, which would lift it to fifth in the world consumption charts between Japan and Russia. 

It’s not just direct energy consumption we should be aware of either. A mid-sized data centre uses roughly the same amount of water per day as three UK hospitals. In 2021, it was estimated that data centres around the world use an average of 850,000,000 litres of water each day. 

Not only that but it’s worth noting that more than a fifth of the world’s data centres operate in areas where water demand already exceeds natural supply, which results in water-stressed watersheds.

If we dig into some of the most eye-catching technologies of recent times – such as the emergence of AI tool, ChatGPT, or digital currency, Bitcoin, there’s more cause for concern. 

In a recent article discussing the environmental implications of the “generative AI gold rush”, MIT News reported that during the training phase of GPT-3 in 2021, 1,287 megawatt hours of electricity was used – generating around 552 tons of carbon dioxide in the process.

Similarly, an article published in 2024 by the London School of Economics estimated that every Bitcoin transaction generates emissions comparable with driving a petrol car between 1,600km and 2,600km.

So far, so bleak.

It’s easy at this point to throw one’s hands up in the air and lose hope. After all, now that these technological genies have been let out of the bottle, there’s little hope of them slowing down. 

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Can AI be a force for good?

While the computing power required to run AI systems is undoubtedly a problem, the digital tools themselves have the potential to deliver solutions that humans alone cannot implement. Indeed, AI presents us with a huge opportunity for climate mitigation by making the measuring and analysing of data much quicker and easier – opening the door for greater energy efficiency across a vast range of settings.

Already, AI tools in the marketplace are helping scientists to predict weather, track icebergs (10,000 times faster than humans) and identify areas of high pollution. Similarly, AI is being used to improve agricultural practices, monitor deforestation and map how much carbon forests can sequester emissions.

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It’s time for joined up thinking

So, if societies are only becoming more dependent on energy-intensive technologies but those technologies can also provide us with solutions to combat climate change, what next?

The answer, I feel, has to lie in the creation of a clear vision and decisive action. The data points we now have at our fingertips are only as good as the strategies we create from them. And by we, I mean on a local, national and international level. In this particular battle, no one is exempt from a responsibility to reduce our carbon impact and implement change wherever possible.

Most of all, however, it is incumbent on government to mandate change and harness AI tools within activities such as optimising renewable energy generation, efficient resource management and putting in safeguards against climate-related disasters.

At an organisational level, businesses must be aware of both how digital tools can help them to act sustainably and how they are themselves a source of carbon emissions and consumption. 

So, next time you reach for ChatGPT to answer your latest burning business question, remember that all of your online activity comes at a price. 

Ready to start your sustainability journey? Let’s talk.