Hi @mallory, here are some additions to the text that you could incorporate. I've also tried to cite as extensively as I can, but I could always add more – there is a ton out there now!
Lastly, I love how concise this document is. You say so much without going into extensive, which I think is great. Kudos!
2.1. Carbon
In this section, I would make a clearer link between carbon and energy as well as the fossil sources behind most compute. Something like:
A primary driver of the carbon emissions of Internet infrastructure stem from the energy sources powering them. Not only are they often powered by non-renewable energy sources [IEA], but the amount of energy being used over time is increasing faster than efficiency gains can keep up [Uptime Institute]
Another key carbon emitter are chips and semiconductors, which are an entire industry to themselves. But perhaps it’s worth mentioning something like:
In addition, the chip and semiconductor sector has a significant environmental footprint [Stand Earth], as do other emerging digital technologies, notably artificial intelligence (AI) [The Green Web Foundation]
2.2.1. Land
What's written: Undersea internet cables and related infrastructure disrupt the sea bed. Furthermore untouched areas of the deep sea are being proposed for mining instead of reusing minerals already in circulation [Dutzik].
MO: in addition, undersea Internet cables are also experiencing challenges due to the impact of extreme weather and sea level rise on coastal infrastructure [Durairajan]
2.2.2. Water
My additions:
Water is used extensively throughout the digital technology sector, particularly within data centers for cooling, for mineral extraction and production, and for chip and semiconductor manufacturing [Mytton]. Water use continues to increase, driven primarily by more advanced AI and cloud computing needs, and often places strain on water resources in a data center’s surrounding communities. Not only does this lead to depleting water sources and impacting biodiversity, but many data centers, chip fabs, and other digital infrastructure are also being built in water-stressed areas such as Spain and the U.S. state of Arizona.
2.2.4. Minerals
My additions:
Global mineral extraction, processing, and refining has significant environmental and human rights impacts [Wouters]. These range from the significant environmental impacts of mining on ecosystems and the destruction of habitats, to the use of slave labor for minerals sourced from conflict zones and the significant water use associated with metal and minerals. Despite the fact that minerals are finite resources, new digital and energy technologies are dependent upon them. This has led to a massive growth in demand for minerals [World Bank]
3. Guiding Principles
MO: I would add a few additional ones:
Integrate sustainability throughout the stack – from rethinking software design and purchasing refurbished hardware, to grid-aware computing and choosing hosting providers that only use green energy.
Prioritize sustainable and rights-respecting procurement practices and embed them throughout your organization.
Embed sustainability from the start, not as an addition later on.
Share data about resource consumption to improve reporting and transparency as well as help to create measurable benchmarks.
Hi @mallory, here are some additions to the text that you could incorporate. I've also tried to cite as extensively as I can, but I could always add more – there is a ton out there now!
Lastly, I love how concise this document is. You say so much without going into extensive, which I think is great. Kudos!
2.1. Carbon
In this section, I would make a clearer link between carbon and energy as well as the fossil sources behind most compute. Something like:
A primary driver of the carbon emissions of Internet infrastructure stem from the energy sources powering them. Not only are they often powered by non-renewable energy sources [IEA], but the amount of energy being used over time is increasing faster than efficiency gains can keep up [Uptime Institute]
Another key carbon emitter are chips and semiconductors, which are an entire industry to themselves. But perhaps it’s worth mentioning something like:
In addition, the chip and semiconductor sector has a significant environmental footprint [Stand Earth], as do other emerging digital technologies, notably artificial intelligence (AI) [The Green Web Foundation]
2.2.1. Land
What's written: Undersea internet cables and related infrastructure disrupt the sea bed. Furthermore untouched areas of the deep sea are being proposed for mining instead of reusing minerals already in circulation [Dutzik].
MO: in addition, undersea Internet cables are also experiencing challenges due to the impact of extreme weather and sea level rise on coastal infrastructure [Durairajan]
2.2.2. Water
My additions:
Water is used extensively throughout the digital technology sector, particularly within data centers for cooling, for mineral extraction and production, and for chip and semiconductor manufacturing [Mytton]. Water use continues to increase, driven primarily by more advanced AI and cloud computing needs, and often places strain on water resources in a data center’s surrounding communities. Not only does this lead to depleting water sources and impacting biodiversity, but many data centers, chip fabs, and other digital infrastructure are also being built in water-stressed areas such as Spain and the U.S. state of Arizona.
2.2.4. Minerals
My additions:
Global mineral extraction, processing, and refining has significant environmental and human rights impacts [Wouters]. These range from the significant environmental impacts of mining on ecosystems and the destruction of habitats, to the use of slave labor for minerals sourced from conflict zones and the significant water use associated with metal and minerals. Despite the fact that minerals are finite resources, new digital and energy technologies are dependent upon them. This has led to a massive growth in demand for minerals [World Bank]
3. Guiding Principles
MO: I would add a few additional ones: