Expert notes importance of reducing emissions from digital sectors

A senior environmental expert has called for more attention to carbon emissions in the digital economy, an increasingly important contributor to the country's economic growth.

Wang Jinnan, director-general of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, made the remarks on Monday at the launch ceremony for the Joint Laboratory for Digital Carbon Neutrality, initiated by the society and the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.

Wang, also president of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, noted the digital economy has become a key driver for economic development in China.

A simulation system for the development of the country's key industrial sectors, jointly developed by CAEP, CAICT and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, has projected there will be a rapid growth in the contribution from the digital economy to added value in Jiangxi province in East China.

In 2020, the added value contributed by the digital economy covered 32.5 percent of Jiangxi's GDP, he said. In 2035, the proportion is expected to increase to 58 percent.

"But, on the other hand, the carbon emissions generated by the rapid development of the digital economy should be given adequate attention," he added.

Research from CAEP shows data centers across the country consumed 150 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2020, 2 percent of China's total electricity consumption in the year, he said, adding the carbon dioxide emissions from these centers totaled almost 100 million metric tons.

As digitalization continues with increasing demands for data processing, energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions of these centers will keep climbing, he said.

Carbon emissions from data centers across the country are expected to go up to 200 million metric tons by 2025.

Wang called for a greenhouse gas emission inventory for the digital economy, as well as a monitoring and management system to enhance emissions governance.

Intensified efforts should also be made to promote intelligent management in the sector and enhance energy conservation and carbon reduction, he said.

He also suggested building data centers in regions with rich renewable energies.