why is technology the most important part of the sustainable transition?
technology is involved in everything, so it is important that it is responsible. Many companies produce green technology and utilize it in the green transition.
Currently, artificial intelligence and the production of electric cars take a lot of natural resources such as water.
Technology can be useful for sustainable development and responsibility, but at the same time it can be draining on the environment.
Artificial intelligence can automate a lot of things and the environmental harm of an electric car is minimal in use, but will it be possible to equalize the emissions from manufacturing and use during their lifetime?
Producing an electric vehicle (EV) consumes significant natural resources, particularly due to battery production. Battery manufacturing requires minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, whose extraction can cause environmental harm and social challenges. The greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing an EV are often higher than those of a conventional internal combustion engine car, primarily because battery production is energy-intensive.
However, EVs offset these higher manufacturing emissions during their lifetime because they produce no tailpipe emissions and often rely on renewable energy. On average, an EV can neutralize its manufacturing-related emissions within 1–3 years of driving, depending on the carbon intensity of the electricity used and the distance driven. If renewable energy powers the EV, the offset occurs more quickly.
The environmental impact of artificial intelligence (AI) systems depends on their development, deployment, and use, particularly due to the energy demands of training large machine learning models.
While AI has potential for positive environmental applications, its lifecycle ranging from hardware production to energy use—can have significant environmental costs. Whether it "balances out" depends on responsible implementation and energy sourcing. However, the industry is increasingly moving towards sustainable practices, such as energy-efficient hardware and renewable energy-powered data centers, to minimize long-term impacts.