Part 1: Why Is Sustainable IT Important?

Part 1 is the story of the “why” and the clear and present dangers humanity face today – that is, the climate crisis. How did we get here, what are the immediate threats, and what are the planetary boundaries we need to bring back to safe levels?

The first chapter in this part will teach you about the basics of climate change and allow you to understand the breadth and depth that digitalization and hyper-connectivity have on our society. The chapter will draw upon facts and figures from prominent institutions such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), our world in data; climate advocates such as Christiana Figueres, David Attenborough, Bill Gates, Al Gore, and John Doerr; and reputable climate scientists such as Johan Rockström and Michael E. Mann, among others, to present a picture of the current state of Earth’s life support system. The chapter will introduce you to climate change. It will teach basic concepts such as greenhouse gas protocol, carbon accounting, scope 1, 2, 3, and 4 definitions, science-based targets initiative net-zero standards, and circular economy principles. These key concepts will be beneficial in later chapters when we dig into sustainable IT practices for you to understand how everything is linked and what actionable insights you can formulate.

The second chapter in this part will focus on the impact of technology on the environment and how it contributes significantly to the world’s carbon footprint. You will learn about the main drivers of a sustainable IT agenda. The chapter will focus on why there is a strong case for Sustainable IT based on several Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects, such as financial risk and returns; cost reduction, legislature; investor, social, and political pressure; customer requirements; responsible business ecosystems; new market opportunities; supply chain challenges; cost reductions; trust; and reputation. You will understand the difference between the three key concepts sustainable IT, sustainable by IT, and IT for society. Finally, you will gain more in-depth knowledge of what ESG considerations exist for IT.

To recap, this first part comprises the following chapters:

• Chapter 1, Our Most Significant Challenge Ahead
• Chapter 2, The Case for Sustainable IT