The IT sector’s environmental footprint is coming under growing criticism. New data reveals that device emissions and manufacturing processes account for a sizeable majority of overall carbon footprints. According to recent analysis, 75 percent of the emissions from tech devices occur during the manufacturing stage. This total impact measure is known as embodied carbon. This revelation raises critical questions about how sustainability in the IT industry is currently measured and what changes must be made to improve ecological impacts.
Device emissions are the elephant in the IT sector room, comprising a shocking 60 percent of the sector’s total emissions. The enormous impact of data centers are responsible for 40 percent. This gap between these two elements reveals the urgent need for a more detailed approach to sustainability metrics and actions.
The Impact of Device Emissions
The creation of electronic devices, especially smartphones and laptops, is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Creating one smartphone emits roughly 110 pounds of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). In comparison, the lifecycle emissions of producing one laptop is approximately 200kg CO2e. With 1 billion smartphones replaced every year, this amounts to a staggering 50 million tonnes of CO2e per year.
Add in the replacement cycles of these devices, and it only makes the case more startling. Common items like smartphones are replaced on average every two years, laptops are three to four years and printers five years. This rapid turnover not only creates greater demand for new devices, but magnifies the environmental impact caused by manufacturing.
It’s made infinitely more difficult by the scale of global device adoption. In fact, there are more than 2 billion laptops already in use on Earth. This creates a massive opportunity to reduce emissions by prioritizing sustainability by manufacturers and consumers alike.
Understanding Embodied Carbon
Embodied carbon is essentially the carbon emissions released from all manufacturing of devices. In fact, it makes up a shocking 75 percent of all device emissions. Data center embodied carbon makes up just 16 percent of total emissions. This difference points to an important opportunity for organizations to improve their carbon accounting practices.
Data centers take center stage all the time on sustainability conversations. If we consider their power usage efficiency, they play a role in just 24 percent of total emissions. In reality, device operation emissions represent only 15 percent of overall emissions. This disaggregation motivates advocates, providers, and policymakers to look beyond clinical applications to the manufacturing processes that shape devices. More importantly, it underscores the growing imperative to look beyond operational efficiencies inside data centers.
Even industry leaders like Google and Microsoft are starting to take notice of these dynamics. In addition, Google has reported that its data centers are 1.5 times more energy efficient than the industry average in 2024. At the same time, Microsoft has committed billions of dollars to deploying nuclear power to run its AI workloads by 2025. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition of the value of energy efficiency. They further call for a more holistic understanding of sustainability.
Extending Device Lifecycles
One of the best ways to reduce emissions from devices on the whole is to focus on extending device lifecycles. Climate research finds that increasing smartphone lifecycles from two years to three years can almost double emissions reductions. In fact, it could help reduce annual manufacturing emissions by as much as 33 percent. This policy shift will help lower the pressure for new devices. It will reduce the environmental footprint of their production.
This idea of extending device lifecycles has coalesced into a growing movement among environmental advocates and tech companies. By prioritizing durability and repairability, manufacturers can help create a culture of longevity rather than disposability. By helping consumers appreciate their devices for more than just the latest fad, this new direction supports a more sustainable ecosystem.