Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to reduce the carbon footprint of the digital economy.

The Government is committed to keeping the UK at the forefront of global action to tackle climate change and protect the environment, and the UK is the first major economy to legislate for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

In October 2019 the Government established a new Cabinet Committee on Climate Change chaired by the Prime Minister to coordinate government action on climate change across all areas of the economy, including the digital economy. In November 2019, we also launched a Net Zero Review which will assess how the UK can maximise economic growth opportunities as it transforms to a green economy, and ensure a fair balance of contributions from all those that will benefit.

There are a number of digital technologies, such as the Internet of Things and AI, that have the potential to help the UK to achieve its environmental targets. DCMS are working closely with industry and the UK's scientific community to examine which technologies have the greatest potential, and how these technologies might be most effectively utilised to deliver a more sustainable digital and wider UK economy.