Let’s be clear: On its own, software doesn’t consume energy or emit any harmful discharge. The problem lies in the way software is developed for use — and then in the way it is used. Software runs on hardware, and as the former continues to grow, so does reliance on the machines to make it run.
Without doubt, software is the backbone of virtually all the intelligent solutions designed to support the environment. It’s critical, for example, in efforts to tackle deforestation and reduce emissions. In many instances, however, software is also part and parcel of a rapidly growing carbon footprint. In fact, recent and proliferating digital technologies have begun to worsen many of the environmental problems they are aimed at solving.
