Author:
Fors Per,Kreps David,O’Brien Ann
Abstract
AbstractThis chapter delves into the environmental concerns associated with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) along its value chain, understood as the series of activities that need to be undertaken to produce, use and dispose of ICT. These activities have their respective challenges in terms of environmental sustainability, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, pollution and waste. Furthermore, the chapter offers an overview of practices and discourses, particularly within the realm of information systems (IS), since the 1960s and onwards. It traces the evolution of the Green IT, a concept that originated in response to mounting environmental concerns and the widespread integration of ICT into various facets of society around the mid-2000s. The chapter explores the translation of Green IT, which was mainly concerned with the negative environmental impact of ICT, into Sustainable ICT, a broader concept imbued with more optimistic narratives about the environmental impact of ICT. Drawing from this extensive review, the chapter highlights emerging issues, such as the energy consumption of ICT with the advent of AI and cryptocurrencies, and a growing emphasis on repair and refurbishment. The authors then interpret the interest in these emerging issues as a renewed focus on mitigating the negative impacts of ICT within Sustainable ICT.
Publisher
Springer Nature Switzerland
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