By Ojugbele Omotunde
In an article titled ‘Curbing the digital economy’s growing environmental footprint’ The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has disclosed that 83 per cent of global electronic waste is not properly recycled.
This was due to a report that stated that by 2050, each person may produce up to seven kilograms of e-waste annually. According to the statement, “e-waste, or electronic waste, from the continuous flow of new gadgets and devices, is a growing concern.”
Although digital technologies offered climate solutions, the UN agency for trade pointed out that they also came with environmental costs.
It further said that, mostly from developed nations, the Global E-waste Monitor indicates a 21% increase in global e-waste from 2014 to 2019, reaching 53.6 million metric tonnes.
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By 2050, this percentage might double, and only 17% of it will be recycled properly, endangering water and soil resources.
The head of UNCTAD, Torbjorn Fredriksson, issues a warning, stating that the internet’s expansion is driving up energy demand and emissions and that the digital economy is at a turning point.
E-commerce conveniences like waste and greenhouse gas emissions from last-mile deliveries and returns come at an environmental cost.
UNCTAD advises businesses to combine environmental and digital shifts by providing instruments to quantify and lower greenhouse gas emissions from cloud services, designing products with sustainable materials, encouraging extended product life, and advocating for the “right to repair.”
Additionally, it promotes automated systems, circularity in supply chains and delivery logistics, and eco-friendly packaging. By following these procedures, the environmental effects of digitalization will be lessened and future technological innovations will have a head start.
