Our award winning digital decarbonization research is designed to support you and your organization in achieving your net-zero ambitions. The toolkit comprises four key elements, and here is a brief overview of how to utilize them effectively.
One: Data Carbon Calculator
Our calculator offers a simple and efficient method to estimate the potential carbon emissions stemming from data storage, as well as assess the extent of dark data within your organization. By entering the number of employees, you can quickly and easily gauge the magnitude of the issue within your organization. This tool provides valuable insights into the scale of carbon emissions and the presence of dark data, helping you understand the significance of the issue.
Two: Data Carbon Scorecard
As part of London Climate Action Week, we launched the Data Carbon Scorecard tool at the British Computer Society (BCS) HQ in London on the 26th of June 2023.
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. It also requires less input than the ladder and provides a quick red, amber, green, assessment of your proposed project.
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.
Three: Data Carbon Ladder
The Data Carbon Ladder is a specialized tool developed by our team to support data projects. It aids in determining the ideal dataset size, update frequency, storage location, and required analytics for your project. Additionally, the tool provides an estimated data CO2 footprint, identifying areas for improvement to reduce environmental impact. By optimizing the data project, we strive to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution.
Four: Digital Decarbonisation Strategic Principles
In today’s digital era, the responsible management of data has become paramount, not only for economic prosperity but also for environmental sustainability and societal well-being. The BASE framework outlined by Ian Hodgkinson and Tom Jackson underscores the critical importance of sustainable growth, fairness, transparency, security, and accountability in data practices. However, amidst the rapid proliferation of digital technologies, there’s a pressing need for a comprehensive digital decarbonization strategy. Such a strategy would align with the principles of the framework by addressing the environmental impact of data infrastructure, reducing unnecessary data proliferation, and mitigating risks associated with data misuse. By implementing a digital decarbonization strategy alongside robust data governance practices, organizations can not only contribute to inclusive growth and sustainable development but also mitigate the environmental footprint of their digital operations, ensuring a more equitable and environmentally conscious digital future.
Introducing: SustainaBle dAta & ethicS framework (BASE)