Global Embodied Emissions of Digital Technologies: The Hidden 42 %

Global Embodied Emissions of Digital Technologies: The Hidden 42 % | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Global Embodied Emissions of Digital Technologies: The Hidden 42 % Janna Axenbeck, Stefanie Kunkel, Joris Blain, Francis Chapentier This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6479454/v2 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Abstract Using input-output analysis of EU FIGARO data (2010-2021), we calculate the embodied –i.e., supply chain-related – greenhouse gas emissions of digital industries (hardware, IT services, and communications). We show that the embodied emissions of demand for digital industries in 2021 are 4.1% of global emissions, with 77-87% occurring upstream (Scope 3). We also show that 42% of direct emissions from digital industries are transferred via supply chains and ultimately “hidden” in the embodied emissions of non-digital industries. Hardware contributes the largest share to global embodied emissions of digital industries, while the increasing demand for IT services has driven emissions growth in the past decade. Our findings highlight the need to reduce digital emissions across all industries’ value chains. This includes accounting for embedded digital inputs, adopting circular economy principles in hardware manufacturing, and limiting embodied emissions from IT services, such as artificial intelligence. Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences/Environmental economics Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences/Climate-change mitigation Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6479454","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":446033451,"identity":"107f46a8-5765-4f6c-ba39-b26116321c2d","order_by":0,"name":"Janna Axenbeck","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"German Environmental Agency (UBA)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Janna","middleName":"","lastName":"Axenbeck","suffix":""},{"id":446033452,"identity":"4d555d5b-019a-49b3-aa98-a6ca88552d77","order_by":1,"name":"Stefanie Kunkel","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2074-7393","institution":"RIFS at GFZ Helmholtz Centre Potsdam","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Stefanie","middleName":"","lastName":"Kunkel","suffix":""},{"id":446033453,"identity":"55033e1a-c669-4b18-9cd8-278cb321d95c","order_by":2,"name":"Joris Blain","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"La Societé Nouvelle","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Joris","middleName":"","lastName":"Blain","suffix":""},{"id":446033454,"identity":"93fc9d40-96fd-4775-8ae9-000fc99bc36e","order_by":3,"name":"Francis Chapentier","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Citepa","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Francis","middleName":"","lastName":"Chapentier","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-04-18 13:50:20","currentVersionCode":2,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6479454/v2","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6479454/v2","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":89106010,"identity":"5ef9eab5-3da9-493d-b5af-4d47c452f47f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-14 17:27:28","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1238428,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Revisedmanuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6479454/v2_covered_b02cce49-453f-4259-a79a-db8bf1bd9f43.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"Global Embodied Emissions of Digital Technologies: The Hidden 42 %","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6479454/v2","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6479454/v2","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eUsing input-output analysis of EU FIGARO data (2010-2021), we calculate the embodied –i.e., supply chain-related – greenhouse gas emissions of digital industries (hardware, IT services, and communications). We show that the embodied emissions of demand for digital industries in 2021 are 4.1% of global emissions, with 77-87% occurring upstream (Scope 3). We also show\u0026nbsp;that 42% of direct emissions from digital industries are transferred via supply chains and ultimately “hidden” in the embodied emissions of non-digital industries. Hardware contributes the largest share to global embodied emissions of digital industries, while the increasing demand for IT services has driven emissions growth in the past decade. Our findings highlight the need to reduce digital emissions across all industries’ value chains. This includes accounting for embedded digital inputs, adopting circular economy principles in hardware manufacturing, and limiting embodied emissions from IT services, such as artificial intelligence.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Global Embodied Emissions of Digital Technologies: The Hidden 42 %","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":2,"date":"2025-08-14 17:11:23","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6479454/v2","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}},{"code":1,"date":"2025-04-22 03:39:16","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6479454/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"8afc157e-d3d1-4a4a-94d5-6426e8693237","owner":[],"postedDate":"August 14th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":47475687,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences/Environmental economics"},{"id":47475688,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences/Climate-change mitigation"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-04-23T10:50:57+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-08-14 17:11:23","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v2","identity":"rs-6479454","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6479454","identity":"rs-6479454","version":["v2"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}