As part of London Climate Action Week, we launched the Data Carbon Scorecard tool at the British Computer Society (BCS) HQ on the 26th of June 2023.
Overview
Purpose: The tool is an enhanced iteration of the Data Carbon Ladder, designed to facilitate insightful discussions surrounding the conceptualization of new data projects and their potential environmental ramifications.
How to use it: The first step is to identify the specific project you wish to undertake, such as assessing customer satisfaction. Next, carefully consider each of the nine questions and critically evaluate your answers. For instance, reflect on whether you truly require all of the available data sets, the necessity of real-time data, optimal data storage options, and the minimum analytical requirements necessary to generate a report that offers sufficient information for decision-making purposes.
Who should use it: The tool caters to all stakeholders engaged in the early stages of project initiation, ranging from the problem owner to the dedicated team responsible for constructing the final report.
Where should I start: Access the complimentary data carbon scorecard and begin by addressing each of the 9 questions. Based on your responses, each question will receive a red, amber, or green score. Then, utilize the straightforward calculation outlined in the document to obtain an overall rating for your project.
- Rating 7+: While the project has some impact on the environment, it is deemed acceptable to proceed.
- Rating 4 to 6: The project has a moderate CO2 impact, and although it can proceed, it is advisable to explore greener alternatives and consider steps to minimize its environmental footprint.
- Rating 0 to 3: The project exhibits a significant CO2 footprint, prompting the need to evaluate whether a more environmentally friendly dataset can be obtained or if adjustments can be made to the problem statement, such as reassessing the necessity for real-time analytics.