Arcep in Europe and around the world

Digital sustainability

Arcep's work on digital technology’s environmental footprint. 

Arcep has been a pioneer in the area of digital sustainability, and is recognised for its work both at the European and international level, including by the World Bank and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) .

Learn more about Arcep’s role in and actions within European institutions and around the world.

Digital technology’s carbon footprint: what does it mean?

Digital technologies today represent 3% to 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) [1 and 2] and 2.5% of the national carbon footprint in France. If nothing is done to curtail it, digital technology’s environmental footprint could triple between 2020 and 2050 [4]! These figures are taken from the ADEME-Arcep study, and do not factor in the tremendous increase in the use of generative AI systems.

Today, devices (smartphones, computers, TVs and connected objects) account for 79% of the digital carbon footprint, compared to around 16% for data centres and 5% for networks. And even though the amount of time we spend on our screens has increased substantially over the past two decades, it is not the use of this equipment (and so their electricity consumption) that is the main contributor to their impact… but rather their production, which accounts for 80% of their carbon footprint!

In other words, before we have even used our brand-new smartphone, television or computer, it has already produced close to 80% of the greenhouse gas emissions that it will generate during its (too short) life.

Digital technology’s environmental impact, greenhouse gases and carbon footprint: what’s the difference?

Digital technology’s impact on the environment is not confined to its carbon footprint or greenhouse gas emissions. The production of network equipment and connected devices (smartphones, computers, TVs, connected objects, etc.) is also contributing to the depletion of multiple resources: to give an example, from their ICT use alone, a person living in France generates the extraction or relocation of more than 900 kilos of resources a year, be it water, metals, fossil fuels…

In their joint study on digital technology’s environmental footprint, Arcep and ADEME examined the progression of four indicators from 2020 to 2030 and 2050.

Progression of the business-as-usual scenario for the four digital environment footprint indicators (over the entire life cycle)
Estimated numver of end-user devices in France, for personnal and business use (million)

ADEME-Arcep study: assessment of the digital environmental footprint in France in 2020, 2030 and 2050

How can I reduce the environmental footprint of my digital devices and day-to-day practices?

Drawing on the findings of its work, Arcep recommends, for instance, extending the life of one’s devices as much as possible, opting for a fixed internet connection (fibre, ADSL) whenever possible, and taking advantage of smartphone settings (deleting apps that are not being used, choosing the greenest video resolution settings, etc.).

Among the different topics explored, the 2023 edition of the Digital Market Barometer (which every year measures digital device and practice adoption levels in French society) queried users about the digital devices they own: every household in 2023 owned an average of 10 digital devices with a screen, not all of which they use, for a total of around 300 million digital devices in Metropolitan France.

Average number of devices per household with a fixed internet connection, including unused devices

Of all the devices found inside the home, a quarter are kept but never used, which means that around 70 million devices could be refurbished or recycled. Keeping in mind that devices account for the lion’s share of digital device’s environmental footprint (i.e. the hardware that serves as the interface between us and our digital practices: smartphones, televisions, smart speakers, computers, etc.) and particularly their production stage.

Promoting the reuse of these devices is one of the levers that helps extend their lifespan, and thereby limit their environmental impact. In 2023, 21% of respondents reported owning a smartphone that they had bought either refurbished or second hand. This is an especially common practice amongst the youngest users: i.e. up to a third of 18–24-year-olds. Buying refurbished hardware still insufficiently identified as a lever to reduce ICT’s environmental footprint.

First, economic stakeholders, including Big Tech companies, must become accountable: through their technological choices, the new requirements and demand they generate, they hold the biggest keys to reducing the environmental footprint.

With this in mind, Arcep and Arcom, in collaboration with ADEME, published the General policy framework for the ecodesign of digital services (RGESN). The aim of this policy framework is to reduce digital services’ – including websites, video platforms, applications and AI tools – impact on the environment from the design stage.

The General policy framework cover

General policy framework for the ecodesign of digital services (RGESN)

 • Read the press release

 • The General policy framework

“Achieving digital sustainability”: what is Arcep’s role?

Arcep began to work on digital technology’s environmental impact in 2019 and has been steadily entrusted by lawmakers with new responsibilities, to collect data from digital industry stakeholders on their environmental footprint.

This data collection process, which began in 2020 with the country’s four main electronic communications operators, was later expanded through the “REEN 2” Act of 23 December 2021, to include data centre operators, operating system providers, public online communication service providers, device and network equipment suppliers.

Arcep makes this work public through its annual “Achieving digital sustainability” survey, which provides readers with the ability to track the progress of greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and device recycling and refurbishment.

Thanks to this Law, the survey is expanded every year to include new stakeholders or the collection of new types of data. In 2024 it will be completed by the collection of environmental data on mobile network equipment.

On 7 October 2024, Arcom and Arcep, in tandem with ADEME, published an unprecedented study on the environmental impact of audiovisual media consumption in France in 2022, and up to 2030. The study revealed that audiovisual media consumption represents 5.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, or around one third of digital technology’s carbon footprint in France, as calculated in the Arcep-ADEME study. If no steps are taken to limit the growing environmental impact of audiovisual media consumption, its carbon footprint could increase by 30% by 2030.

Arcep is also a proactive contributor to public debates and plays an active role on the national, European and international stages, sharing its experience and the findings of its work on digital technology’s impact on the environment.

How to measure digital technology’s environmental footprint?

The production of robust, quantified studies, based on shared methodologies creates the ability to provide a detailed overview and identify the key courses of action to be taken. They help raise collective awareness and inform objective discussions. These studies and publications thus make it possible to confirm or refute certain hunches about digital technology’s environmental impact.

Arcep contributes to measuring digital technology’s environmental footprint:

By co-chairing Expert committees, and publishing their reports

What are European regulators doing to tackle digital technology’s impact on the environment?

At Arcep’s instigation, Europe’s electronic communication regulators have incorporated the issues surrounding digital technology’s environmental footprint since 2020 into the work done by BEREC, making it part of the Body’s 2021-2025 strategy. The “Sustainability” working group, which is currently co-chaired by Arcep, brings together experts from national authorities and the European Commission, with the goal of raising awareness amongst European regulators, to develop their expertise on digital technology’s impact on the environment, and to identify best practices for taking effective action to tackle environmental issues. BEREC is the key body for dialogue and coordination, for drafting and sharing best practices that are adapted to the sector’s realities, and implemented in a way that meets the European Union’s high environmental goals and standards.