联合国贸易发展委员会-2024年数字经济报告（英）-2024-288页_8mb

Digital Economy Report 2024 Summary

Core Content

The Digital Economy Report 2024 emphasizes the environmental sustainability and inclusivity of the digital economy. It highlights that while the digital economy is often seen as intangible and environmentally friendly, it has a significant material and environmental footprint, which is growing rapidly due to increased demand for digital technologies.

Main Points

Environmental Impact of the Digital Economy

• Carbon Footprint: The ICT sector's carbon footprint in 2020 was estimated between 0.69 and 1.6 gigatons of CO₂ equivalent, accounting for 1.5 to 3.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Material Use: Producing a single 2kg computer requires 800kg of raw materials.
• E-Waste: Global e-waste increased by 30% from 2010 to 2022, reaching 10.5 million tons. Developed countries generate 3.25kg of e-waste per person, while developing and least developed countries generate less than 1kg and 0.21kg respectively. Only 24% of e-waste is formally collected globally.
• Mineral Demand: Demand for transition minerals like graphite, lithium, and cobalt is projected to surge by 500% by 2050 to meet the needs of digital and low-carbon technologies.

Digitalization Trends

• Data Centres: Consumed 460 TWh of electricity in 2022, expected to double by 2026.
• Semiconductor Growth: The number of semiconductor units quadrupled from 2001 to 2022.
• 5G and IoT: 5G coverage is expected to increase from 25% to 85% of the population by 2028, and IoT devices are projected to grow from 16 billion in 2023 to 39 billion in 2029.
• E-Commerce Growth: Business sales via e-commerce rose from $17 trillion in 2016 to $27 trillion in 2022 in 43 countries.

Challenges and Opportunities

• Environmental and Social Issues: The extraction of minerals for digital technologies often involves unsafe conditions, environmental degradation, and exploitation of vulnerable communities, including children.
• Circular Economy: The report promotes a circular digital economy, which includes responsible consumption, renewable energy use, and comprehensive e-waste management.
• Global Cooperation: International collaboration is essential to ensure equitable distribution of benefits and costs of digitalization and to support developing countries in participating fully in the digital economy.

Key Information

Direct and Indirect Environmental Effects

• Direct Effects: Occur during the production, use, and end-of-life phases of digital technologies, including resource extraction, manufacturing, and waste generation.
• Indirect Effects: Include energy efficiency gains and GHG emission reductions in various sectors, but may also lead to rebound effects where increased digitalization leads to higher consumption and environmental impact.
• Combined Effects: Are uncertain and depend on the balance between the benefits and drawbacks of digital technologies.

Digitalization-Related Waste

• Growth Drivers: Rapid technological development and increased consumption are leading to a rise in digital waste.
• Environmental and Health Impacts: Waste from digitalization can lead to pollution, health risks, and social challenges.
• Circular Economy: Offers opportunities for recycling and resource recovery, but prevention is emphasized as the priority.

E-Commerce and Sustainability

• Environmental Effects: E-commerce has both positive and negative environmental impacts, including energy use, packaging waste, transportation, and return rates.
• Sustainable Practices: The report recommends reducing warehouse energy use, minimizing packaging, promoting sustainable transportation, and influencing consumer behavior.
• Policy Recommendations: Include improving the evidence base, promoting better e-commerce practices, and supporting the circular economy.

Conclusion

The Digital Economy Report 2024 calls for a balanced approach to digitalization, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and policies. It advocates for a circular digital economy, international cooperation, and a new policy mindset that considers sustainability at every stage of the digital life cycle. The report underscores the importance of addressing the environmental and social impacts of digital technologies, particularly in developing countries, to ensure an inclusive and environmentally sustainable digital future.