Green Software: CO2 emissions produced by the software industry, equivalent to those of all air, sea, and rail transport combined

Thoughtworks, a global technology consultancy that integrates strategy, design and engineering, and co-founder of the Green Software Foundation, reveals the 2023 State of Green Software (SOGS) report, which analyzes sustainable software, globally and across all industries.

“State of Green Software brings together global insights and data from industry leaders and researchers with the goal of driving the transition to green tech and reducing the unwanted impact of software on the environment. Thus, companies are becoming more aware of the potentially harmful effects and can adopt solutions to become carbon neutral or carbon negative as governments work globally to urgently address the current climate crisis. Romanian companies are no exception, especially since our country has become a major exporter of software and we must align ourselves with global trends”, said Şerban Țîr, managing director of Thoughtworks Romania.

The data analyzed shows that, according to the researchers, software is expected to account for 14 percent of the world’s carbon footprint by 2040.

“I have wished for a resource like The State of Green Software report for four years, and I am thrilled it’s finally here. Nobody has to spend hours anymore hunting for information that will convince leadership to invest in green software projects,” says Asim Hussain, Executive Director and Chairperson of the Green Software Foundation.

Also, the report shows that software-related CO2 emissions currently account for 4-5 percent of global emissions. This is equivalent to the emissions of all aviation, maritime, and rail transport combined.

At the same time, the SOGS survey indicates that more than 2,000 software practitioners and other stakeholders are considering climate change, with 62 percent reporting they are very concerned and 30 percent saying they are concerned.

The study shows that decarbonization alone is not enough for the transition to green software.

Carbon emissions are a significant part of software’s climate impact, but data-intensive technologies like generative artificial intelligence also require many other resources, including water.

The 2023 State of Green Software (SOGS) report currently focuses on China, the US, India, the UK, and Australia.