Towards greener ICT sector

By project CEI BOOST

Published on 30 January 2025

Finland

About this good practice

Digitalization brings with it many advantages, but it also has significant negative effects on nature and people. The negative aspects of ICT have not been very visible to end users, and people do not realize that every Google search increases CO2 emissions. The ICT sector is the world’s fastest growing sector, and its emissions are estimated to triple in a decade if the current trends continue. In Finland, the recycling rate of e-waste is under 50 %, and worldwide under 25%. The increasing use of digital devices and internet services consumes a lot of electricity, the manufacture of devices requires the mining of rare earth minerals and precious metals, and it involves social problems.
Green ICT projects started working on the challenge, and they established a network named the Green ICT ecosystem. Its portal offers companies tools for identifying challenges and taking action towards greener ICT.
The portal has guides and self-assessment tools that help organizations develop their operations. There are videos and an ICT dictionary. The tools and guides are available to everyone for free.
There is a tool for analysing the role of the ICT in the organization, it provides a development plan for the sustainability transition. Another tool helps to estimate the energy use and climate impacts of software to assist with procurement of ICT. This tool is designed for public sector but also applies to private sector.
New guides and information are added to the portal regularly.

Expert opinion

This good practice showcases Finland’s innovative approach to promoting sustainable digitalisation through the Green ICT ecosystem and portal, funded with €290.000 from REACT-EU and ERDF. Aiming to reduce the environmental and social impacts of the fast-growing ICT sector, the portal offers free self-assessment tools, guides, and resources to help organisations, both public and private, measure and improve their ICT sustainability. Since 2021, the initiative has engaged over 2.300 participants across 50+ events and built a growing digital community.

Laura Varisco

Works at Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

Resources needed

The platform was established as part of the Green ICT project. Project received in total 290 000 € funding from REACT-EU, ERDF. Tools are free, but green ICT measures require labour and money to implement. The platform will be developed further in other Green ICT projects, with additional funding.

Evidence of success

There is a growing need for information about the negative effects of the ICT sector and how to improve it. Several people have been reached with the help of the project, numbers below.
Since 2021, the ecosystem has organized over 50 events. The total number of participants has exceeded 2 300. They have over 1 000 newsletter recipients, and 350 LinkedIn participants. More than 9 300 viewers for recordings.

Potential for learning or transfer

The green ICT portal was born from the need to tackle the challenges of the ICT sector. Organizations want to reduce their carbon footprint and other environmental impacts and increase their responsibility. The pressure to act more sustainably also comes from customer demand and political side. In Finland, political will is expressed, for example, through the climate and environment strategy for the ICT sector and the national public procurement strategy.
Many citizens and organizations use ICT in their daily lives, so many regions and countries may have the same challenges. They think about how the fast-growing ICT sector and its negative effects on the environment and people can be directed to a sustainable path.
ICT’s have also a positive effect on environment and climate, called its handprint. The handprint is a collection of enabling measures in ICT’s application fields, such as logistics, manufacturing and travel.