The Cloud

In this article, it is shown that 60% of the 115 environmental impact articles we reviewed did NOT consider the impacts of network infrastructure (i.e., the internet, data transmission, servers, and all the material and energy use contained therein). That's a pretty big system boundary gap, considering how connected and internet-reliant most "smart" and "sustainable" techno-solutions tend to be.

Research in the sustainable transportation sector especially ignores its cyber-physical nature. Perhaps it doesn't help that we've all been sold on the image of data transmission and storage as a "cloud."

Further Reading:

• Mulrow, J., Gali, M., & Grubert, E. (2021). The cyber-consciousness of environmental assessment: How environmental assessments evaluate the impacts of smart, connected, and digital technology. Environmental Research Letters, 17(1), 013001. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac413b