When I arrived at work to discover that Outlook had vanished from my computer, I wondered how I was supposed to get through my working day. No emails. No calendar. No meeting invitations.<\/p>\n
Then another thought crossed my mind: when did we become so dependent on a single technology company<\/a> that losing access to one application could disrupt our entire working routine? And what is the financial and environmental cost of that dependence?<\/p>\n We regularly discuss sustainability in terms of reducing plastic, cutting carbon emissions and consuming less energy. But the digital systems we rely on every day also have huge environmental consequences.<\/p>\n As world leaders gather at the UN climate summit, Cop31<\/a>, in Turkey, perhaps it is time to ask an uncomfortable question: can our digital economy really become sustainable when so much of it depends on a handful of technology companies?<\/p>\n The cloud has a physical footprint<\/p>\n The cloud may sound weightless, but it runs on data centres, electricity, cooling systems and hardware.<\/p>\n The International Energy Agency<\/a> estimates that data centres consumed 415 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024, around 1.5% of global demand. It projects that consumption could reach 945 terawatt-hours by 2030, largely driven by AI and other digital services.<\/p>\n Microsoft\u2019s own 2026 sustainability report<\/a> illustrates the tension. The company reported a 25% year-over-year rise in total emissions in 2025, primarily because of expanding data centres and a change in renewable-energy certificate accounting. Microsoft is also investing in cleaner energy and more efficient infrastructure. Both facts matter: technological progress can reduce emissions per task, while growth pushes overall demand higher.<\/p>\n Asking the right questions<\/p>\n Turkey\u2019s Cop31 presidency released the voluntary Antalya artificial intelligence pledge<\/a> in October. This pledge aims to encourage climate-responsible AI while acknowledging the energy and water demands of the technology.<\/p>\n The World Resources Institute, a global research organisation<\/a>, welcomed the pledge\u2019s direction but warned that voluntary commitments need stronger accountability mechanisms. Meanwhile, the International Telecommunication Union<\/a> has scheduled a Cop31 event for November 16 on financing cleaner digital infrastructure, measuring emissions, and promoting durable, repairable and reusable electronics.<\/p>\n The message is important: sustainability cannot stop at greener electricity. It also concerns what technology organisations purchase, how long they keep it, and who pays for its environmental effects.<\/p>\n When a software decision becomes a hardware bill<\/p>\n Consider a computer that still works but cannot support a newer operating system. Windows 10\u2019s regular support<\/a> ended in October 2025, although Microsoft offers extended security updates for eligible consumer devices through October 2027.<\/p>\n The transition does not make every older computer obsolete. Yet software support and compatibility can influence whether organisations replace otherwise usable equipment.<\/p>\n