By Abbas Nazil
A new digital tool designed to expose the environmental footprint of websites is set to be launched this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The tool, known as Digital Impact for Species, calculates the often-overlooked ecological costs of online activity in ways that connect directly to nature.
Developed by climate experts at the University of Exeter in partnership with Madeby.studio, the platform goes beyond traditional carbon measurements.
It analyses websites to reveal impacts linked to energy use, water consumption and data transfer emissions.
Rather than presenting results only in technical figures, the tool translates digital footprints into effects on animals, plants and trees.
Organisers say this approach makes the environmental consequences of digital behaviour easier to understand and emotionally relatable.
Digital Impact for Species can analyse any website by measuring its size, including images, scripts and stylesheets.
It also checks whether websites are hosted on servers powered by renewable energy by referencing data from the Green Web Foundation.
Using a bespoke calculation model, the tool expresses emissions in terms such as the number of trees required to offset them.
Water consumption is linked to the daily needs of different animal species.
Energy usage is translated into impacts on pollinators and small organisms vital to ecosystem health.
The platform will be unveiled at the World Economic Forum, where delegates will be invited to input their website addresses and receive instant assessments.
Project lead Dr Marcos Oliveira Jr., a Research Impact Fellow in the University of Exeter’s Nature and Climate Impact Team, said digital actions often carry invisible environmental costs.
He explained that every website visit requires energy as data travels from servers to personal devices.
Additional environmental pressure comes from water used to cool data centres around the world.
According to him, the tool aims to make these hidden costs visible and meaningful.
The project was part-funded by the UK Research and Innovation impact acceleration accounts.
It was developed for MonkeyRock, a large-scale art installation that will feature prominently at Davos.
The eight-metre sculpture of a great ape will serve as a focal point for environmental discussions and performances during the forum.
MonkeyRock was conceived by artist Joep van Lieshout and Professor Gail Whiteman of the University of Exeter Business School.
The installation is intended to draw attention to humanity’s relationship with nature and species loss.
Members of the project team will be present at the Climate Hub during the forum.
Participants will be able to access the tool through QR codes and analyse their websites on the spot.
Users will also be offered a downloadable guide outlining best practices for greener web design.
Developers stress that the initiative is not meant to criticise organisations with high digital footprints.
Instead, the goal is to spark dialogue and encourage more sustainable approaches to building and maintaining websites.
Experts say digital infrastructure is becoming a growing contributor to global environmental pressures.
As internet usage expands, awareness of its ecological impact is increasingly important.
The launch of Digital Impact for Species highlights a rising effort to align technological growth with environmental responsibility.
Researchers hope the tool will inspire businesses, institutions and individuals to rethink the sustainability of the digital world.
