The Greening of the Internet Exchange Point

As the world turns its attention to COP30, the conversation around digital sustainability has never been more urgent. Despite technology underpinning every aspect of modern life, its environmental footprint rarely features in climate discussions. The global exchange of data through AI, streaming and cloud computing is expanding rapidly, and is an invisible driver of energy demand consumption across networks and data centres.

But invisible does not mean inconsequential.

Global data creation is increasing by around 23 per cent each year, while the systems that support it already account for 1-2 per cent of global electricity use. If this digital infrastructure is to remain a force for innovation and inclusion, it must also become a model for responsible growth, reducing its carbon impact without compromising connectivity.

The Carbon Cost of Connectivity

Every byte of data travels through a complex ecosystem of cables, routers, switches and servers. When that journey is unnecessarily long, what’s known as ‘tromboning’, the energy cost multiplies. A video call between two people in the same city might be routed halfway across the world and back before reaching its destination with each detour consuming power and increasing latency.

As demand for low-latency services such as online gaming, video conferencing and AI powered applications grows, so too does the pressure on the network to deliver fast, stable connectivity. This demand must be met efficiently, otherwise, the very systems designed to enhance human productivity could inadvertently accelerate our carbon footprint.

The Role of the Internet Exchange Point

One of the least visible yet most vital parts of the ecosystem is the Internet Exchange Point (IXP). IXPs act as neutral meeting points where networks, such as internet service providers, content delivery networks and cloud platforms, interconnect directly. This local interconnection helps reduce the distance data must travel, cutting both latency and unnecessary energy use.

By facilitating more efficient routing, IXPs play a quiet but significant role in digital sustainability. When networks exchange traffic locally rather than sending it through multiple intermediaries or long-haul routes, energy demand is reduced. Moreover, localised routing strengthens resilience. Regional networks can continue operating even if international links are disrupted, reducing reliance on long-distance infrastructure.

IXPs sit at an important junction in the sustainability conversation, where operational efficiency meets measurable environmental responsibility. Organisations, for example, across the exchange ecosystem are now measuring Scope 1 and 2 emissions and, increasingly, Scope 3 emissions related to supply chains and partner operations. Understanding and tracking this impact enables more informed choices about infrastructure design, energy procurement and vendor selection.

Collaboration with data centre partners to improve energy efficiency and develop clearer ways of reporting carbon impact is gaining traction industry-wide. This move toward transparency and shared metrics represents the next stage of maturity for network sustainability, one grounded in accountability rather than aspiration.

The Social Governance Dimension

Beyond their technical value, IXPs embody a powerful model for social governance responsibility in the digital age. Their member-driven structures ensure transparency, accountability and diversity of voices in decision making, principles that mirror the collaborative nature of the internet itself.

Many IXPs invest in education and capacity building through initiatives such as open technical training, youth engagement and digital-skills programmes. Global training initiatives have shown how knowledge sharing and skills development can empower engineers, students and policy makers alike.

By fostering inclusion and technical competence, the IXP community contributes not only to the efficiency of global connectivity but to ensuring the benefits of a connected world are distributed more evenly. In this way, social value and sustainability are intertwined: a greener internet must also be a more equitable and transparent one. when IXPs dedicate time to social and community efforts, the impact is significant and more should be looking to make this a priority to ensure this responsibility is not shouldered by a few, but embraced collectively across the industry.

Building Data 3.0: Collaboration for Climate Transparency

If the last decade was about connecting the world, the next must be about connecting responsibly. “Data 3.0” should not only describe an era of intelligent, AI-driven applications but also one of accountability, where every layer of the digital ecosystem, from hardware to software, is designed with sustainability in mind.

Achieving this vision requires collaboration far beyond the data-centre walls. Governments and regulators have a key role to play in setting frameworks for carbon transparency across digital infrastructure. Energy-efficient routing, renewable integration and standardised sustainability reporting should become shared priorities across the global internet community.

Encouragingly, within the connectivity eco-system there are signs of collective progress. Industry bodies and member-driven organisations are publishing their first ESG reports, committing to annual carbon footprint disclosures and long-term reduction strategies. These steps not only improve accountability but also build a foundation for consistent environmental benchmarking across the sector.

Education and inclusion, core parts of social governance, will continue to underpin this journey. A sustainable network is, ultimately, one that empowers people as much as it transmits data.

A Greener Internet is Within Reach

The internet’s growth is both inevitable and essential. Our societies, economies and climate solutions depend on it. From precision agriculture to renewable energy forecasting, digital infrastructure is a critical enabler of decarbonisation, but it must be accountable for its own impact.

Sustainability in the digital realm is not about halting progress but about re-engineering it. From local interconnection at IXPs to transparent carbon accounting and community education, each step toward efficiency brings us closer to a greener, more resilient internet.

As COP30 convenes global leaders to chart the next chapter of climate action, its time the digital world takes its place at the forefront of the conversation. The networks that connect us also connect our future and their sustainability will define not just the speed of our data but the health of our planet.