For the first time, a detailed study has revealed the true scale of the ecological footprint of the digital sector in Switzerland. This research, carried out by Resilio, an EPFL start-up specializing in the environmental assessment of IT systems, marks a turning point in our understanding of the environmental issues associated with the country’s digitalization.
A major scientific collaboration to fill a gap
Carried out in partnership with the Enterprise for Society Centre (E4S), the University of Lausanne (UNIL), IMD and some twenty other partners, this study responds to an urgent need for reliable local data. Until now, Switzerland has relied solely on extrapolations based on international studies, an imprecise approach to defining appropriate public policies.
The assessment covers three main categories of equipment: user equipment (personal and professional use), telecommunications networks and data centers. A rigorous methodology that excludes Swiss datacenters used exclusively for services abroad, while integrating cloud services consumed in Switzerland but hosted elsewhere.
Numbers that question our digital habits
Massive power consumption
The results of the study speak for themselves: the Swiss digital sector consumes around 12% of the country’s electricity, or 6.9 TWh. To put this consumption into perspective, it is equivalent to the annual power supply of 1.4 million Swiss households. Data centers alone account for 6.1% of this national electricity consumption.
An ever-expanding installed base
The sheer size of the Swiss technology park is astonishing: in 2024, over 73 million ICT devices were in circulation. This represents an average of 8.5 devices per inhabitant, a figure that illustrates the intensive digitization of our daily and professional lives.
The breakdown of this equipment reveals the predominance of consumer devices: 94% relates to user equipment, 5.6% to data centers and only 0.4% to telecoms network infrastructure. Together with their power consumption, these devices account for between 65% and 85% of the total environmental footprint of the digital sector in Switzerland.
A significant climatic impact
In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, the digital sector accounts for around 2% of Switzerland’s national emissions. To put this proportion into context, it is equivalent to 40% of the carbon footprint generated by aviation from Switzerland, a sector that is regularly criticized for its environmental impact.
A major changeover by 2035
One of the most important revelations to emerge from this study concerns the expected evolution in the distribution of impacts. Currently, user equipment accounts for 66% of the digital industry’s environmental footprint. However, modelling indicates that data centers will become the majority of this footprint by 2035.
This trend can be explained by several factors: the explosion in cloud computing, the rise of compute-intensive artificial intelligence, and the widespread use of digital services in all sectors of the economy.
Focus on servers: contrasting impacts
Detailed analysis of equipment reveals significant disparities. Computing and storage servers account for a significant share of the impact, notably due to their energy-intensive manufacture and constant operational requirements.
Of particular interest: storage servers account for around half of the server footprint. What’s more, mid-range servers, which are more prevalent in IT fleets, have an impact fifteen times greater than that of servers specializing in artificial intelligence, even though they are reputed to consume a lot of energy.
Understanding the life cycle for better action
The study analyzes environmental impacts according to the different phases in the equipment life cycle, providing valuable insights to guide action.
The use phase stands out as the main factor in freshwater eutrophication, an impact that is often overlooked by the general public. On the other hand, the distribution and end-of-life phases are considered to have negligible effects compared to the other stages.
This detailed analysis enables us to prioritize our efforts: rather than focusing solely on recycling, we should give priority to improving the energy efficiency of equipment in operation and optimizing its use.
Concrete recommendations for all players
For public authorities
The authors of the study make several recommendations to public authorities:
- Regulate the development of new data centers by promoting energy-efficient solutions, in particular the reuse of waste heat
- Slow the spread of new energy-intensive uses, particularly those linked to generative artificial intelligence.
- Develop incentives to encourage energy efficiency in digital infrastructures
For companies
On the private side, there are many levers for action:
- Designing more energy-efficient equipment, integrating eco-design right from the development phase
- Improving the energy efficiency of infrastructures and equipment
- Favoring data centers powered by renewable energies
- Adopt new business models that are less dependent on the continuous production and sale of new electronic equipment
This last recommendation is particularly innovative: it questions the tech industry’s traditional business model, based on the constant renewal of equipment.
A solid foundation for collective action
This first Swiss study on the environmental impact of digital technology is much more than just a status report. It provides a sound scientific basis for guiding public policies and corporate strategies towards more sustainable digitalization.
The stakes are high: with continued growth in digital uses and the emergence of ever more consuming technologies like AI, action is becoming urgent. But this study proves that a rational approach, based on accurate data, can identify concrete and effective levers for action.
The digital transition and the ecological transition are not incompatible, provided we act in a coordinated and enlightened way. This Swiss study paves the way for a more mature approach to these issues, reconciling technological innovation and environmental responsibility.
The full study, the white paper and an educational infographic are available free of charge on sustainableit.ch
