Jekyll And Hyde: The Dual Role Of Emerging Tech In Environmental Sustainability

As the world faces the existential threat of climate change, many tech leaders are eager to apply emerging technologies to advance their environmental sustainability goals. Emerging tech will aid in the observability of new data; increase efficiencies in facilities management and manufacturing; and, in some cases, help reduce carbon emissions directly. However, the necessary compute power and scale of implementing these technologies can offset their benefits due to the size of their carbon footprints and volume of waste. In this report, we examine the dual roles of eight emerging technologies and explain how to use them for good.