Reducing ICT’s Carbon Footprint: How Arcep is Transforming ICT Environmental Policy

The World Bank and ITU highlight France’s Arcep as a global leader in tracking and regulating the ICT sector’s environmental impact, using data-driven policies to reduce GHG emissions, energy consumption, and e-waste. The report urges regulators worldwide to adopt transparent sustainability reporting and stricter regulations to ensure digital growth aligns with environmental responsibility.

The World Bank and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have come together to publish an important report titled Measuring National ICT Sector Environmental Impact: Arcep Case Study. This study sheds light on how France’s telecom regulator, Arcep, is leading the way in tracking and regulating the environmental impact of the ICT sector. While digital technology has transformed economies and daily life, it also comes with a significant carbon footprint, high energy consumption, and growing electronic waste. The ICT industry now produces more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than the aviation sector and continues to expand its environmental impact. Despite this, many countries lack national data on ICT-related emissions and sustainability practices. A global survey by ITU found that only 20 percent of ICT regulators have an official mandate to collect environmental data, even though 40 percent of countries recognize emissions tracking as a critical issue. Without proper regulations and reliable data, it becomes difficult to measure the real impact of digital technologies and implement meaningful solutions.

France’s Arcep: Leading the Way in Green ICT

In response to these challenges, Arcep has emerged as a global leader in ICT sustainability monitoring. Recognizing the need for concrete data, Arcep launched the "Achieving Digital Sustainability" initiative in 2020, bringing together industry leaders, environmental organizations, and policymakers to develop an effective data collection strategy. By 2022, Arcep had published its first environmental survey of the ICT sector, initially focusing on telecommunications operators before expanding to include data centers and digital device manufacturers. Understanding that legal authority was crucial for effective regulation, Arcep successfully pushed for legislative changes in 2021 and 2024, giving it the power to collect sustainability data from a wide range of ICT companies. Unlike many other countries where sustainability reporting remains voluntary, France now has a legally enforceable framework for ICT environmental transparency.

How Arcep Tracks the Environmental Impact of ICT

Arcep follows a structured process to collect and analyze environmental data from the ICT sector. The first step is to identify key environmental indicators, then survey ICT companies, verify their responses, and finally publish annual reports detailing the findings. These reports cover a wide range of sustainability metrics, including GHG emissions, energy consumption, water usage, device sales and recycling, and the use of rare earth metals in digital devices. To ensure compatibility with international sustainability goals, Arcep aligns its data collection with global standards such as the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064-1.

The latest Achieving Digital Sustainability report, published in 2024, revealed critical findings about France’s ICT sector. It showed that ICT companies generated 1.1 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2022. Additionally, data center emissions, electricity consumption, and water use increased by more than 10% in just one year. One of the most surprising discoveries was that 95% of a set-top box’s electricity consumption occurs while in standby mode, highlighting significant inefficiencies that could be improved through regulation. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers and businesses looking to reduce the sector’s environmental footprint.

From Data to Action: Shaping Green Policies

Arcep’s sustainability work is already shaping national environmental policies in France. The French government’s "Digital Sector and Environment" roadmap is based on Arcep’s data and aims to ensure that the digital transition is both innovative and environmentally responsible. By making sustainability data publicly available, Arcep is holding ICT companies accountable and empowering consumers, businesses, and policymakers to make informed choices.

Beyond policy impact, Arcep has introduced consumer guidance on reducing the environmental impact of digital technology. This includes encouraging people to extend the lifespan of their devices, uninstall unused applications, and optimize video streaming settings to conserve energy. These small but meaningful steps help raise awareness and encourage sustainable digital habits. By promoting data-driven regulation, Arcep is proving that ICT sustainability is not just about corporate responsibility but also about giving users the tools to make eco-friendly decisions.

The Future of ICT Sustainability: A Global Call to Action

The World Bank and ITU stress that comprehensive environmental data collection is essential for sustainable digital policies. Without national-level monitoring, the true environmental impact of the ICT sector remains invisible, making it difficult to introduce targeted solutions. Arcep’s journey demonstrates that with the right legal framework, industry collaboration, and gradual expansion, regulators can develop a scalable system for tracking ICT sustainability.

As ICT sector emissions continue to rise, global regulators must act swiftly to prevent further environmental harm. The World Bank and ITU urge countries worldwide to follow Arcep’s model, turning ICT sustainability reporting into a global standard rather than an exception. Strong regulations, transparent data collection, and international cooperation are essential to ensuring that technological progress and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. By learning from France’s approach, countries can build a more sustainable digital future, where innovation does not come at the expense of the planet.