數位經濟造成環境破壞：聯合國

聯合國警告稱，全球經濟的快速數位化正在為環境帶來巨大損失。這是用於為人工智慧提供動力的資料中心大量使用水和能源的結果。

The rapid digitalisation of the global economy is costing the environment significantly, the United Nations has warned.

聯合國警告稱，全球經濟的快速數位化正在為環境帶來巨大損失。

This is largely due to the extensive usage of water and energy by the vast data centres that are used to power artificial intelligence (AI).

這主要是由於用於為人工智慧（AI）提供動力的龐大資料中心大量使用水和能源。

While digitalisation is essential to fuel global economic growth, its environmental repercussions are becoming “increasingly severe”, the UN trade and Development Agency (UNCTAD) stated in a report on Monday.

聯合國貿易和發展署（UNCTAD）在周一的報告中表示，雖然數位化對於推動全球經濟成長至關重要，但其對環境的影響正變得「日益嚴重」。

The agency has called for adopting sustainable strategies in order to counter the growing environmental toll, especially in developing countries.

該機構呼籲採取永續策略，以應對日益嚴重的環境損失，特別是在發展中國家。

“Digitalisation continues to move at warp speed, transforming lives and livelihoods. At the same time, unregulated digitalisation risks leaving people behind and exacerbating environmental and climate challenges,” said UN chief Antonio Guterres in the report.

「數位化繼續以驚人的速度發展，改變著生活和生計。與此同時，不受監管的數位化可能會讓人們落後，並加劇環境和氣候挑戰，」聯合國秘書長安東尼奧·古特雷斯在報告中表示。

He highlighted that as the reliance on digital tools increases, so does the impact on the environment, in form of depleting raw materials, consumption of water and energy, spewing air pollution and generating waste.

他強調，隨著對數位工具的依賴增加，對環境的影響也在增加，包括消耗原料、消耗水和能源、排放空氣污染和產生廢棄物。

“These impacts are worsened by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence,” he added.

「人工智慧等新興技術加劇了這些影響，」他補充道。

Limited Data Available

可用數據有限

There is limited data available on how rapidly-evolving AI is affecting the environment. Therefore, UNCTAD chief Rebeca Grynspan has urged the world’s biggest tech companies to lead the way by producing standardised data.

關於快速發展的人工智慧如何影響環境的數據有限。因此，貿發會議主席麗貝卡·格林斯潘敦促世界上最大的科技公司透過產生標準化數據來帶頭。

In response, Google has recently reported that there has been a 48 per cent increase in its greenhouse gas emissions over the five years to 2023. This is largely due to powering data centres that support AI operations.

對此，谷歌最近報告稱，截至 2023 年的五年間，其溫室氣體排放量增加了 48%。

Similarly, Microsoft’s latest sustainability report has showed that there is a 29 per cent increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the last year as compared to 2020. Both Google and Microsoft have made a commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030.

同樣，微軟最新的永續發展報告顯示，與2020年相比，去年的溫室氣體排放量增加了29%。

In the Digital Economy Report 2024 published by UNCTAD, there are several examples of the digital economy’s impact on the environment.

貿發會議發布的《2024年數位經濟報告》中列舉了多個數位經濟對環境影響的例子。

The report has stated that the information and communications technology (ICT) sector has cause 0.69 to 1.6 gigaton of carbon dioxide emissions in 2020. This represents 1.5 to 3.2 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, comparable to the emissions from air transport or shipping.

報告指出，2020年，資訊與通訊技術（ICT）產業排放了0.69至1.6十億噸二氧化碳。

The report has noted that in order to produce a two-kilogram computer there is a requirement of approximately 800 kilograms of raw materials.

報告指出，生產一台2公斤重的計算機需要約800公斤原料。

According to UNCTAD, the demand for critical minerals like graphite, lithium, and cobalt could increase by 500 per cent by the year 2050.

據貿發會議稱，到 2050 年，對石墨、鋰和鈷等關鍵礦物的需求可能會增加 500%。

It was also found that data centres had consumed 460 terawatt hours of electricity in 2022. This consumption is expected to double by 2026.

研究還發現，2022 年資料中心消耗了 460 太瓦時的電力。

The report has highlighted that in Ireland, data centre electricity use has more than quadrupled between 2015 and 2022. It now accounts for 18 per cent of the country’s total electricity consumption, and could rise to 28 per cent by 2031.

報告強調，在愛爾蘭，2015 年至 2022 年間，資料中心用電量增加了四倍多。

Bitcoin uses more energy than Belgium

比特幣消耗的能源比比利時還多

The global energy consumption of mining bitcoin, the most prominent cryptocurrency, has increased about 34 times between 2015 and 2023 to reach an approximately 121 TWh.

2015 年至 2023 年間，開採比特幣（最重要的加密貨幣）的全球能源消耗增加了約 34 倍，達到約 121 TWh。

This puts the energy usage for bitcoin mining ahead of energy consumption of entire countries like Belgium and Finland.

這使得比特幣挖礦的能源使用量超過了比利時和芬蘭等整個國家的能源消耗量。

Digitalisation is key to driving economic growth across the globe. This makes its progress essential. However, there is a need for a more sustainable approach considering the environmental impact it has.

數位化是推動全球經濟成長的關鍵。這使得它的進步至關重要。然而，考慮到其對環境的影響，需要一種更永續的方法。