ICT occupies an unusual position in the climate debate: it can be exposed to climate impacts, add to emissions, and help other sectors reduce them.

Victims

Telecommunications networks, data facilities, power supplies and other ICT infrastructure can be affected by heat, flooding, storms and wider climate-related disruption.

Villains

ICT equipment and services consume energy and create emissions across manufacturing, operation and replacement cycles.

Heroes

Remote working, digital services, smart control, better data and efficient communications can help change how people work, travel and consume resources.

The strategic opportunity

The useful question is not only how to make ICT greener, but how to use ICT to improve the carbon performance of the wider organisation and economy.