Higher order effects

Definition

Higher order effects, as defined in ITU-T L.1480, refer to the indirect and often systemic environmental consequences resulting from the adoption of ICT solutions. These effects manifest beyond the direct environmental footprint of the technology and the immediate changes in activity patterns, encompassing long-term structural impacts, shifts in societal consumption patterns, and induced behavioral changes. This includes the phenomenon of the rebound effect, where efficiency gains are offset by increased consumption, and induction, where the convenience of a solution stimulates a volume of usage that exceeds initial expectations.

Key Characteristics

  • Systemic Nature: They occur at the societal or sectoral level rather than being restricted to a single organizational or product lifecycle.
  • Complexity: Highly challenging to quantify due to the wide range of indirect variables and interdependencies involved.
  • Long-term Orientation: Often emerge over extended periods as technology adoption reshapes infrastructure, markets, and human lifestyles.
  • Dependency: They are analyzed after accounting for the initial direct footprint and intermediate activity changes caused by the technology.

Applications

  • Sustainability Assessment: Used to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the net environmental role of digital solutions in the transition to net-zero.
  • Policy Formulation: Supporting governments and organizations in understanding potential rebound effects when deploying large-scale digital initiatives.
  • Lifecycle Thinking: Extending standard environmental impact assessments to ensure that “greening by digital” strategies do not inadvertently create negative long-term consequences.

Mentions in Source

  • “More specifically, the methodology provides guidance on the assessment of the use of ICT solutions covering the net second order effect (i.e., the resulting second order effect after accounting for emissions due to the first order effects of the ICT solution), and the higher order effects such as rebound.” — ITU-T L.1480 (Greening by Digital)
  • “Rebound effect: Increases in consumption due to environmental efficiency interventions that can occur through a price reduction or other mechanism including behavioural responses.” — ITU-T L.1480 (Greening by Digital)
  • “Additionally, effects enabled by the use of ICT solutions can be modified due to rebound, i.e., the tendency that increased efficiency is offset by increases in emissions due to e.g., consumption.” — ITU-T L.1480 (Greening by Digital)
  • “When an ICT application stimulates increased use of the application itself.” — ITU-T L.1480 (Greening by Digital)
  • “In the example of a high-security videoconference system of a bank… the reduction in travelling of only the 500 participants… is considered when deriving the GHG emission reduction of the reference activity. The other 9500 views are considered rebound usages and do not add to the reduction of emissions as these viewers would not have travelled to the physical event.” — ITU-T L.1480 (Greening by Digital)