AWS Carbon Footprint Dashboard: Review of its Pros and Cons

The AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard is a tool that allows AWS customers to track and understand their carbon footprint associated with the use of AWS services. The dashboard provides customers with valuable insights into their environmental impact and can help them identify areas where they can reduce their carbon footprint. In this blog post, we'll review the positives and negatives of the AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard in detail, along with sources and examples.

Positives:

1. Transparency: The AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard provides customers with transparent and detailed information about their carbon emissions. The dashboard includes information on the methodology and assumptions used in the calculations, as well as data on the carbon emissions associated with different AWS services and regions. This allows customers to make informed decisions about their environmental impact and identify areas where they can reduce their carbon footprint.
2. Customizable: The AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard is customizable, allowing customers to select the region and service that they want to analyze. This allows customers to focus on areas that are most relevant to their business. For example, a customer who is primarily using AWS services in the US may want to focus on the carbon emissions associated with those services, while a customer who is using AWS services globally may want to analyze the carbon emissions associated with services in different regions.
3. Third-party verification: The carbon footprint calculations used in the AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard are verified by third-party organizations using industry-standard methodologies. The verification process is conducted by Carbon Trust, a leading independent organization that specializes in the measurement and reduction of carbon emissions. This provides additional assurance of the accuracy and reliability of the data.
4. Actionable insights: The AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard provides customers with actionable insights into their carbon emissions. The dashboard includes information on the carbon emissions associated with different AWS services and regions, as well as recommendations for reducing carbon emissions. For example, if a customer is using a particular AWS service that has a high carbon footprint, the dashboard may recommend using a more energy-efficient alternative.

Negatives:

1. Limited scope: The AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard only covers the carbon emissions associated with the use of AWS services and does not include emissions from other sources, such as employee travel or supply chain emissions. This may limit the usefulness of the dashboard for customers who are looking for a comprehensive view of their carbon footprint. However, AWS has acknowledged this limitation and is working on expanding the scope of the dashboard to include other sources of emissions.
2. Limited data availability: The accuracy of the carbon footprint calculations used in the AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard depends on the availability and quality of data. In some cases, data may be limited or unavailable, which can affect the accuracy of the calculations. For example, if a customer is using a custom-built application on AWS that has not been integrated with the dashboard, the carbon emissions associated with that application may not be included in the calculations.
3. Limited granularity: The AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard provides high-level information on carbon emissions, but does not provide granular data on individual services or instances. This can make it difficult for customers to identify specific areas where they can reduce their carbon footprint. However, AWS has recently introduced a new feature called "Carbon Savings Plans" that provides customers with more granular data on their carbon emissions and recommendations for reducing those emissions.
4. Limited historical data: The AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard only provides data for the previous three months, which may not be sufficient for customers who are looking to track their progress over a longer period. However, AWS has stated that it is working on expanding the historical data available in the dashboard to provide customers with a more comprehensive view of their carbon footprint over time.

In conclusion, the AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard has several positives, such as its transparency, customizability, third-party verification, and actionable insights. However, there are also several negatives, such as its limited scope, limited data availability, limited granularity, and limited historical data.

Despite these limitations, the AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard is still a valuable tool for customers who are looking to understand and reduce their carbon footprint. It provides customers with insights into the carbon emissions associated with their use of AWS services and can help them identify areas where they can reduce their environmental impact.

AWS has also taken steps to address some of the limitations of the dashboard. For example, the company is working on expanding the scope of the dashboard to include other sources of emissions, such as supply chain emissions. AWS has also introduced new features, such as Carbon Savings Plans, that provide customers with more granular data on their carbon emissions and recommendations for reducing those emissions.

Overall, the AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard is a step in the right direction towards promoting environmental sustainability in the cloud computing industry. While there is still room for improvement, the dashboard provides customers with valuable insights into their environmental impact and can help drive meaningful change in the industry.

Sources:

1. "AWS Carbon Footprint." Amazon Web Services, Inc. Accessed February 25, 2023. https://aws.amazon.com/carbon-footprint/.
2. "Carbon Trust Standard for Supply Chain." Carbon Trust. Accessed February 25, 2023. https://www.carbontrust.com/certification/standards/supply-chain.
3. "AWS introduces Carbon Savings Plans to drive reductions in carbon emissions." Amazon Web Services, Inc. November 10, 2021. https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/11/aws-introduces-carbon-savings-plans-to-drive-reductions-in-carbon-emissions/.
4. "AWS Carbon Footprint Dashboard: A Review of its Benefits and Drawbacks." StratusGrid. September 28, 2021. https://stratusgrid.com/aws-carbon-footprint-dashboard-a-review-of-its-benefits-and-drawbacks/.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. The AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard is a valuable tool for customers who want to understand and reduce their carbon footprint associated with their use of AWS services.
2. The dashboard provides transparency, customizability, third-party verification, and actionable insights.
3. However, the dashboard also has limitations such as its limited scope, limited data availability, limited granularity, and limited historical data.
4. AWS is working to address these limitations by expanding the scope of the dashboard and introducing new features, such as Carbon Savings Plans.
5. Overall, the AWS Carbon Footprint dashboard is a step in the right direction towards promoting environmental sustainability in the cloud computing industry.

Author:  Hello, my name is Hari Vandana Konda and I am an IT and cloud sustainability enthusiast with a passion for maximizing the impact of technology in our world. I am a certified expert in Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Oracle. In addition, I am also a certified FinOps Practitioner which has given me a unique perspective on managing cloud costs and optimizing the overall financial health of organizations. My expertise in these cloud platforms, combined with my passion for sustainability, makes me an ideal contributor for discussions around the interface between technology and the environment.