Dimension 1 · Competence area

4. Safety, wellbeing and responsible use

Dimension 2 · Competence

4.4. Environmental impacts of digital technologies

To be aware of the environmental impacts of digital technologies, including device production, operation, repair, recycling, disposal, data storage infrastructure, energy consumption and usage of tools and applications. To take action to reduce such impact and to use digital technologies to support sustainability.

Dimension 3 · Proficiency levels
BASIC

At basic level, individuals remember and implement simple tasks with guidance as needed.

  • Acknowledge the role that individuals can play to help reduce the environmental impact of digital technologies.
  • Recognise that some digital technologies and infrastructures, such as AI systems and data centres, have large impacts on the environment.
  • Recognise that the full environmental impacts of digital technologies are not immediately apparent to an individual user.
  • Recognise the role of digital technologies in supporting energy efficiency and sustainability.
  • Identify and apply simple strategies to reduce energy and data consumption while using digital technologies.
INTERMEDIATE

At intermediate level, individuals identify and implement well-defined tasks and solve well-defined problems autonomously.

  • Continually assess the environmental impacts of one's usage of digital technologies.
  • Identify environmental impacts of digital technologies that occur during manufacturing, usage and disposal, and of data centres and e-commerce.
  • Describe how some digital technologies can support sustainable living.
  • Describe potential environmental benefits of the digital sharing and circular economy models.
  • Assess and apply a variety of strategies to reduce the environmental impact of one's use of digital technologies and digital devices.
ADVANCED

At advanced level, individuals assess and apply solutions to a variety of complex tasks autonomously and adapt to a variety of contexts to evaluate and execute tasks appropriately, guiding others if and as required.

  • Stay informed about the environmental impacts of digital technologies and ways in which digital technologies can support sustainability.
  • Evaluate the environmental impacts of digital technologies and infrastructures to support decision-making or advocacy.
  • Help others to assess their use of digital technologies to identify ways in which to reduce environmental impact.
HIGHLY ADVANCED

At highly advanced level, individuals assess, evaluate and resolve highly complex or specialised problems to create new solutions or adapt existing ones, leading and guiding others if and as required.

  • Stay informed about the environmental and sustainability implications of digital technologies across a range of sectors.
  • Promote and support actions for environmentally sustainable usage of digital technologies.
  • Lead or contribute to digital sustainability initiatives.
  • Contribute to improvements in or solutions for digital sustainability.
Dimension 4 · Knowledge, skills and attitudes
Knowledge
  • LO4.4.02 Recognise that some digital technologies and infrastructures such as AI systems and data centres have large impacts on the environment.
  • LO4.4.03 Recognise that the full environmental impacts of digital technologies are not immediately apparent to an individual user.
  • LO4.4.04 Recognise that digital technologies can support energy efficiency and sustainability.
  • LO4.4.05 Identify simple strategies to reduce energy and data consumption of digital technologies, such as minimising usage of energy-intensive applications and non-usage of digital technologies when not needed.
  • LO4.4.08 Identify environmental impacts of digital technologies that occur during manufacturing, usage and disposal.
  • LO4.4.09 Describe environmental impacts of data centres and e-commerce.
  • LO4.4.10 Describe examples of how digital tools can support sustainable living.
  • LO4.4.11 Define the concepts of sharing economy and circular economy, including risks, limitations and potential environmental benefits.
Skills
  • LO4.4.06 Apply simple strategies to reduce energy and data consumption of digital technologies, such as minimising usage of energy-intensive applications and non-usage of digital technologies when not needed.
  • LO4.4.12 Apply a variety of strategies to reduce the environmental impact of one's use of digital technologies and digital devices, such as informed digital device purchasing decisions, device recycling and repair, environmentally conscious e-commerce practices, and environmentally conscious usage patterns.
  • LO4.4.14 Evaluate the environmental impacts of digital technologies and infrastructures to support decision-making or advocacy.
  • LO4.4.15 Help others to assess their use of digital technologies to identify ways in which to reduce environmental impact.
  • LO4.4.18 Lead or contribute to digital sustainability initiatives.
  • LO4.4.19 Contribute to improvements in or solutions for digital sustainability.
Attitudes
  • LO4.4.01 Acknowledge the role that individuals can play to help reduce the environmental impact of digital technologies.
  • LO4.4.07 Continually assess the environmental impacts of one's usage of digital technologies.
  • LO4.4.13 Stay informed about the environmental impacts of digital technologies and ways in which digital technologies can support sustainability.
  • LO4.4.16 Stay informed about the environmental and sustainability implications of digital technologies across a range of sectors.
  • LO4.4.17 Promote and support actions for environmentally sustainable usage of digital technologies.
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