What Are Digital Emissions?
A Guide to the Carbon Cost of Our Digital Lives

By Emma Littlewood, Director of Research & Development at 51toCarbonZero

Digital emissions are the greenhouse gases produced by digital technologies and online activities. This includes everything from cloud storage and video calls to email, data centres and the manufacturing of IT hardware.

As digital transformation accelerates across industries, so too does its hidden carbon footprint. In fact, digital emissions now contribute 3-4% of global emissions – more than the aviation industry – and they’re expected to double by 2030.

In this article, I explain:

Where digital emissions come from
Why they’re rising so quickly
How to measure them
5 proven strategies to reduce your digital footprint

Why Digital Emissions Matter

Most organisations have embraced cloud services, hybrid working, AI and global digital platforms – but few are aware of the emissions these generate. Key trends driving growth in digital emissions include:

Expansion of data centres and storage
Energy-intensive AI and machine learning models
Short hardware lifecycles
Real-time data traffic and remote collaboration tools

Yet these emissions are rarely captured accurately in GHG reporting – especially within Scope 3.

With new regulations like the EU CSRD, California Climate Bills SB253/261, and the upcoming UK’s Sustainability Reporting Standard (SRS), digital emissions are now a compliance, risk and reputational priority.

Where Digital Emissions Come From

Digital emissions typically come from four main sources:

Consumer device use
Phones, laptops, monitors and the energy they consume. This accounts for 50%+ of total digital emissions.
Hardware production
The manufacturing of IT equipment – processors, batteries, chips – carries significant embodied emissions.
Data centres
Powering servers, cooling systems and cloud infrastructure. Data centres use 2% of global electricity.
Network usage
Routers, switches and undersea cables that transmit data worldwide.

Even a one-hour video meeting can emit up to 1kg CO₂e. Multiply that across thousands of meetings and millions of users, and the scale quickly adds up.

How to Measure Digital Emissions

Most companies use the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which classifies emissions into:

Scope 1: Direct fuel use (e.g. company vehicles)
Scope 2: Purchased electricity
Scope 3: Indirect upstream and downstream emissions

Digital emissions primarily fall under Scope 3, but they’re often underreported due to poor visibility across IT suppliers and cloud platforms.

To measure digital emissions effectively:

Use a platform that integrates with your IT and procurement systems
Capture cloud energy usage (AWS, GCP, Azure now provide this)
Track device lifecycles and embedded carbon
Include upstream IT services in supplier assessments

CleanCloud from 51-0 automates this process and provides audit-ready data.

5 Proven Ways to Reduce Digital Emissions

Here are practical, measurable strategies your business can adopt today:

Optimise your cloud infrastructure
Move to providers that run on renewable energy and provide transparent carbon reporting. Google Cloud, AWS and Microsoft now offer emissions dashboards.
Extend device lifespans
Avoid replacing laptops and phones every 1-2 years. Opt for refurbishment, repair, and longer refresh cycles. This reduces embodied emissions significantly.
Build low-carbon digital products
Optimise websites and apps to load faster and use less energy:

Minimise animations and scripts
Compress images
Use dark mode and caching

Reduce unnecessary data transfers
Avoid bloated email threads, duplicate file storage, and unnecessary cloud syncs. Compress media and encourage efficient file sharing habits.

Pro tip: The greenest byte is the one you never send.
Involve your teams
Digital sustainability isn’t just an IT problem. Educate staff on sustainable email habits, smart charging and avoiding digital waste. Build it into your company culture.

Why It Pays Off

Investing in digital sustainability delivers real value:

Faster compliance with CSRD, SBTi targets and other frameworks
Reduced energy costs from more efficient infrastructure
Stronger performance in ESG ratings and RFPs
Improved employee engagement (especially Gen Z and Millennial talent)

More importantly, it’s a tangible step toward delivering your net zero strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are digital emissions?
Digital emissions are greenhouse gases generated by the energy use and manufacturing of digital technologies – including devices, data centres, cloud platforms and networks.

Why are digital emissions rising?
The rise of AI, streaming, cloud services and short hardware lifecycles are driving rapid growth in digital energy use. Advertising has seen a huge shift to digital platforms, and programmatic bidding uses

How can I measure digital emissions?
You can use carbon accounting platforms like 51toCarbonZero that integrate with your cloud providers, procurement tools and internal systems. Look for platforms that follow the GHG Protocol and support Scope 3 calculations.

What’s the biggest source of digital emissions?
Consumer device use (phones, laptops, monitors) is the single largest contributor – often over 50% of the total digital footprint. However, digital advertising’s footprint is increasing rapidly, and a recent report by GoodLoop found that across the US, UK, Germany, France, and Australia, digital ads pump out 2.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

Should digital emissions be included in ESG reports?
Yes. They fall under Scope 3 and are increasingly expected by investors, regulators and industry frameworks like CSRD, SBTi and CDP.

Final Thought

Digital transformation and sustainability are no longer separate strategies. The way we build, store and transmit data has a direct impact on the planet.

By addressing digital emissions today, you’ll not only reduce your carbon footprint but build a smarter, leaner and more resilient business.

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