Environmental Impacts of IT: The Case of the Metaverse

Lab-by-APL's participation in this conference is part of APL Data Center's objective to actively contribute to the digital transformation of the African continent. The article stemming from this presentation was published in January 2024 by the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES), which brings together 19 member countries and whose missions include collecting and disseminating all academic documents and rigorous scientific research.

The metaverse is an entirely virtual 3D universe in which people interact with other users through avatars, using their virtual reality headsets, smartphones, computers, or tablets. It offers interesting prospects in terms of flexibility and new economic models for the world of work.

However, despite its virtual nature, digital technology relies on physical infrastructures which, during their manufacturing, use, and end-of-life, have an environmental impact.

According to a 2022 study by Ademe and Arcep, the impacts of digital technology on climate change are estimated at 16.9 Mt CO2 eq., representing 2.5% of France's carbon footprint. This study also shows that "user" terminals are responsible for the majority of impacts for each indicator (between 63.6% and 92% of impacts), followed by data centers and networks (respectively between 4% and 22.3%, and between 2% and 14%).

The environmental impact of the metaverse, like that of digital technology in general, is measured by conducting a life cycle analysis (simplified LCA in the case study), which takes into account the impact of all materials and technologies used and implemented to provide the service.

The results of the study conducted by Lab-by-APL estimated that the impact of a virtual reality headset (user terminal) is between 70 and 200 kg CO2 eq over its entire life cycle, representing 10% of a sustainable human's annual carbon budget (2 T CO2 eq). Meanwhile, a smartphone application would have at least 10 times greater environmental footprint in the metaverse than outside the metaverse.