The cloud-sustainability link: exploring how the technology can lead the journey to net-zero

In 2020, when the world was under lockdown, I remember watching David Attenborough’s stunningly visual documentary, “A Life on Our Planet”. Nothing quite drives home the message of climate urgency as his before/after stills of biodiversity destruction. At the time, we were also witnessing the economic impact of the pandemic and social movements for greater equitability. The biggest takeaway from 2020 was crystal-clear; to move forward, we need to find a better way to contribute to vulnerable communities and the environment. To enable this, I believe forums like COP26, WEF, and the UN have become excellent platforms of global discourse, bringing organizations, academicians, politicians, and other leaders together.

The way I see it, it’s become evident that technology – be it AI, IoT, cloud, and other frontier solutions – present a way to break down complexities associated with the climate change issue and help address many aspects of it. Technology provides opportunities to the private and public sectors to strike a balance between growth and create sustainable changes for the benefit of all.

It is interesting to explore how the cloud specifically can help us collectively reduce carbon emissions, and the key sustainability aspects businesses should consider as they take the cloud route.

We can apply two lenses to assess the impact of the cloud – firstly, the shift from data centers to the cloud itself, and then, how next-generation solutions that run on the cloud can further ESG goals. Here, I’ve put together my thoughts on the cloud-sustainability connect.

Cloud and the road to net-zero

Early last year, a forecast from IDC showed that the adoption of cloud computing could prevent the emission of over 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from 2021 through 2024 – quite a staggering statistic. The benefits of the cloud in this regard have been well documented. Going from disparate and distributed enterprise data centers to aggregated compute enhances power and cooling efficiency and server utilization. What’s more, workloads can be moved to servers that run on renewable energy. I do have to highlight, as the servers in the cloud tend to have much higher utilization rates, the refresh time will most likely be faster. However, if the hardware is replaced with upgraded technology that is new and energy-efficient, it could also boost savings.

Many technology organizations are catering to the need for factoring in the carbon footprint – for instance, through our cloud platform, Infosys Cobalt, we can alternate the source of computing power based on load balancing to reduce the emission footprints of cloud storage and operations. There has also been significant momentum from hyperscalers to realize sustainable cloud operations.

So now, the big question is, how do you plan operations and infrastructure to align with your ESG objectives and leverage cloud effectively? This requires a very nuanced strategy and slow steps so that the business value you see from the transition advances your initiative. It begins with measuring and analyzing your carbon footprint, setting sustainability goals, planning action and course-correcting as needed.

Here are a few factors that you should consider as you map out a move.

1. Identify how you can reduce the usage of resource-heavy legacy infrastructure, the number of core data centers and cloud systems.
2. Consider how your organization can embrace cloud-native operations across your entire supply chain.
3. The goal should also be to consolidate resources to save space and ensure optimal utilization. For instance, we work with our partner - a leading platform-as-a-service organization – to reuse and maximize the usage of servers.
4. Lastly, it’s about effective measurement. Each activity or project within the enterprise must be measured in terms of how much carbon emissions it will result in, and internal pricing on carbon has to be decided against which you take stock of investments and projects. Carbon offsets can accordingly be addressed either through CSR programs or purchased carbon credits to reduce emissions and enable sustainable development.

As I mentioned before, the second way to gauge the impact of the cloud is through pioneering cloud-based AI and IoT solutions that can aid in optimizing resources, creating smart, sustainable spaces, and calculating energy usage. To quote one example of a cloud-based solution that’s been making waves – a new ESG data platform that is aligned to the UN Global Impact principles – has gained support from HSBC, Deutsche Bank, and Swiss Re. It helps businesses disclose, manage and keep ownership of their ESG data in real-time. I think it will be exciting to see more of such apps and platforms that provide insights to help individuals and businesses tackle environmental issues.

Achieving carbon neutrality and driving the sustainability-first narrative

At Infosys, the focus has been on enabling change through a?sustainability-first?approach for ourselves and clients. To put into perspective what we have been aiming for with our own infrastructure - in FY21,?45% of?our data centers' energy requirements were met through renewable sources. We are also constantly working towards enhancing the sustainability of our offerings and helping our clients through our sustainability practice. I believe that it will take an ecosystem to assist businesses on their path to being carbon neutral. It will be great to see more partnerships in the industry that can address every step of the journey to net-zero.

As the environment around us changes, constant technology-driven innovation, greater collaboration between the public and private sector, and global discussions that put climate change in the spotlight will be critical. One of the thematic priorities at the World Economic Forum meeting, which will be held this summer at Davos, is “Climate and Energy Transition”. I’m looking forward to the conversations that will unfold on the latest innovations and advances to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, protect our planet and manage the energy transition. Now looking to hear your thoughts on this – how is your company adapting to the sustainability mandate? What role is technology playing in taking you closer to your ESG goals??