CO2 emission associated with the growing use of the internet: from 2016 to 2022

Abstract

The large amount of information and the increase in data processing using internet for virtual activities are sources of polluting emissions that increase the digital carbon footprint. The objective of this study was to describe the CO2 emission associated with internet use from 2016 to 2022; therefore, a non-experimental descriptive study was carried out using the parameters of daily internet consumption provided by the analysis of information sources: online statistics websites, technological reports, environmental reports, news, and environmental content published on web pages and research in paper format from 2016 to 2022. After this analysis, the daily emission of digital CO2 was organized in: electronic mailings, publications in social networks, searches in Google, visualization of videos on YouTube, transmission of video in streaming platforms and videoconferences, as well as the number of daily hours of internet use, associated with the daily emission of digital CO2. It was found that the sending of emails are the largest source of emission, representing 73%, followed by daily publicatio ns on social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, among others) with 17%, a considerable 10% corresponding to the transmission of video by streaming and videoconferences (Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, Netflix, HBO, etc.) and a zero emission (0%) by Google searches or viewing videos on YouTube. and evidenced the increase in internet consumption in recent years and the use of tools for work at home and remote and virtual learning intensified by the pandemic. As the use of technological resources increases, training and awareness policies are required on the personal and collective emission of CO2 associated with the internet, since it is generated unconsciously or by the ignorance of users of all ages.