Industry growth and rising energy demand put pressure on tech sector sustainability efforts

Geneva, 30 September 2024 – The carbon footprint of the digital technology sector is growing to keep pace with global demand for hardware, network services, data storage and emerging technologies, according to a report co-authored by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA).  



Alongside commitments expressed across industry to embrace both digital growth and environmental sustainability, the report reveals an overall decline in progress towards climate goals. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption in the global tech sector have increased, while transparency and accountability remain a challenge.