A new report reveals the technology sector’s potential to generate $800 billion in value by integrating nature at the heart of operations and supply chains, highlighting urgent actions to reduce risks and harness sustainability-driven growth.
According to a World Economic Forum report, the technology sector could unlock as much as $800 billion in value by 2030 by placing nature at the centre of operations and supply chains , part of a wider $10.1 trillion opportunity for the private sector from widely adopted nature‑positive solutions. The report, produced with Oliver Wyman, maps the sector’s material dependencies and impacts on nature and sets out practical actions companies can take to reduce risk and capture value.
The analysis attributes more than half of the $800 billion potential to upstream activities in energy and extractives , expanding renewable power, improving resource recovery and advancing circular manufacturing of electronics and appliances. Roughly a third of the opportunity sits in infrastructure and the built environment, including energy‑efficient buildings, smart metering, wastewater reuse and sustainable construction; the remainder stems from nature restoration, sustainable land use and cross‑sector energy‑efficiency gains enabled by digital innovation.
The report underlines the scale of tech’s nature footprint. Semiconductor manufacturing consumes over 1 trillion litres of freshwater annually and depends on mined metals and critical minerals. More than 1 trillion chips are sold each year. Global data centres already draw in excess of 60 gigawatts of power , more than the peak electricity demand of California , and are expected to see annual demand growth of 19–22% to 2030. Hardware production generates over 60 billion kilogrammes of electronic waste each year, with less than a quarter currently recycled.
Those dependencies create operational and resilience risks for industrial operators and suppliers across the value chain. The report argues these can be mitigated , and commercial upside realised , through a combination of circular resource recovery, energy and water efficiency, supply‑chain partnerships with mining and metals providers, and engagement in policy and planning.
The research highlights seven priority actions for tech companies: advance resilient and restorative water use; mitigate pollution and pursue circularity; tackle non‑power greenhouse‑gas emissions; promote land stewardship and restoration; scale renewable power and efficiency in the built environment; engage supply chains; and support policymaking to enable systemic change. The report notes that interventions can deliver material emissions and resource savings , for example, liquid cooling in data centres can cut greenhouse‑gas emissions by up to 21%, while circular material recovery initiatives have achieved as much as 95% emission reductions versus virgin mining.
Speaking for the World Economic Forum, Pim Valdre, Head of Climate and Nature Economy, said: “Companies that invest in nature and transition towards net‑zero, nature‑positive and resilient business models will become better at managing risks and enjoy competitive advantages.” Nick Studer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Oliver Wyman, added: “The tech sector has an opportunity to lead in both economic growth and the nature‑positive transition – but there is no time for delay.”
For industrial decarbonisation professionals, the report reframes nature‑positive action as an operational imperative rather than an optional sustainability ambition. Practically, it points to immediate levers relevant to supply‑chain managers and asset operators: embed circular design and reverse‑logistics for hardware, accelerate on‑site and contracted renewables for data centres and fabs, adopt low‑water process technologies, and work upstream with miners and refiners to de‑risk critical‑minerals sourcing.
The World Economic Forum’s Nature Positive Transitions initiative positions these sector strategies alongside broader efforts to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030, emphasising that aligning business models with biodiversity and climate goals reduces exposure to water and resource constraints, strengthens regulatory and community licence to operate, and creates new avenues for cost reduction and revenue growth across tech value chains.
- https://europeanbusinessmagazine.com/business/tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/12/tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds/ – A World Economic Forum report reveals that the technology sector could unlock $800 billion in value by 2030 by integrating nature-positive practices into its operations and supply chains. This potential is part of a broader $10.1 trillion opportunity for the private sector. The report highlights that over half of this value stems from upstream activities in energy and extractives, such as expanding renewable power and advancing circular manufacturing of electronics. The remaining value is projected from infrastructure, built environment, nature restoration, and sustainable land use. The tech sector’s rapid growth, driven by AI, cloud computing, and innovations like quantum computing, has led to significant environmental impacts, including intensive water use, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and land pressures. The report emphasizes the need for tech companies to adopt practices like circular resource recovery and foster partnerships across mining and minerals supply chains to address these challenges. Companies investing in nature-positive strategies are better positioned to manage risks and gain competitive advantages. The report also outlines seven practical actions for tech companies to manage their nature impacts and dependencies, including addressing water use, pollution, land use, greenhouse gas emissions, power demand, supply chains, and policy engagement. By planning for nature loss risks, companies can limit disruptions, mitigate impacts from extreme weather events, and reduce exposure to essential ecosystem services like clean water, while seizing nature-positive opportunities. For instance, the tech sector is responsible for around 4% of global energy use. By scaling renewable power, improving energy and water efficiency, and advancing circular manufacturing and recycling models, the sector can reduce its nature impacts. Innovations like liquid cooling in data centers can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 21%, while circular material recovery initiatives have achieved up to 95% emission reductions compared to virgin mining. The report concludes that the tech sector has an opportunity to lead in both economic growth and the nature-positive transition, but emphasizes the urgency of taking action.
- https://www.weforum.org/publications/nature-positive-role-of-the-technology-sector/ – The World Economic Forum’s ‘Nature Positive: Role of the Technology Sector’ report highlights the tech industry’s significant dependence on natural resources and its substantial environmental footprint. The sector’s rapid growth, driven by AI, cloud computing, and innovations like quantum computing, has led to intensive water use, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and land pressures. Semiconductor manufacturing alone consumes over 1 trillion litres of freshwater annually and relies on mining metals and critical minerals. Data centres draw more than 60 gigawatts of power, exceeding the peak electricity demand of California. Hardware production contributes to over 60 billion kilograms of e-waste each year, with less than a quarter currently being recycled. The report emphasizes the need for tech companies to adopt nature-positive strategies to mitigate environmental impacts and build resilience. It recommends seven priority actions for tech leaders, including advancing resilient and restorative water use, mitigating pollution and pursuing circularity, tackling non-power greenhouse gas emissions, promoting land stewardship and restoration, engaging with supply chains, and supporting policymaking. By implementing these actions, companies can reduce harm to nature and generate nature benefits across the entire value chain, aligning with global biodiversity and climate goals.
- https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/07/addressing-tech-s-nature-impacts-and-dependencies-is-a-prerequisite-for-growth/ – An article by the World Economic Forum discusses the intrinsic link between the technology sector and nature, emphasizing the need for a nature-positive approach to ensure sustainable growth. Valued at $8.9 trillion in 2024 and projected to grow by 40% by 2029, the tech sector heavily relies on natural resources and ecosystem services. Without proper management, it contributes significantly to environmental degradation through water stress, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and land-use change. The article highlights that over half of the world’s GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services, making its preservation both an environmental imperative and an economic opportunity. The World Economic Forum’s Nature Positive Transitions initiative explores transformative pathways to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030, guiding financial institutions, helping cities coexist with nature, and developing sector strategies for corporations. For the tech sector, the initiative focuses on identifying unique impacts and dependencies on nature and recommending priority actions businesses can take to address these issues, build resilience, and unlock nature-positive opportunities across their value chains.
- https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/12/7-ways-tech-sector-lead-nature-positive-transition/ – The World Economic Forum outlines seven key actions for the technology sector to lead the nature-positive transition, aiming to mitigate environmental impacts and unlock financial opportunities. The tech sector’s growth is highly dependent on nature and faces rising risks from climate change and ecosystem degradation. A nature-positive approach has the potential to deliver up to $800 billion in cost savings and revenue upside across the tech sector value chain. The seven priority actions include: 1) Advance resilient and restorative water use; 2) Mitigate pollution and pursue circularity; 3) Tackle non-power greenhouse gas emissions; 4) Promote land stewardship and restoration; 5) Engage with supply chains; 6) Support policymaking. By implementing these actions, tech companies can reduce harm to nature and generate nature benefits across the entire value chain, aligning with global biodiversity and climate goals. The article emphasizes the urgency of addressing the sector’s relationship with the planet and investing in a nature-positive future to secure social and regulatory licenses to operate, develop resilience to nature-related risks, meet growing stakeholder expectations, and deliver opportunities for financial growth and cost savings.
- https://www.recycling-magazine.com/2025/12/04/study-identifies-800-billion-sustainability-potential/ – A new World Economic Forum report concludes that the technology sector could create up to $800 billion in value by 2030 by reducing impacts on natural systems and addressing dependencies on natural resources. This analysis is part of a wider $10.1 trillion business opportunity associated with the adoption of nature-positive solutions across the private sector. More than half of the potential value relates to upstream activities in energy and extractives, including renewable power expansion, improved resource recovery, and circular manufacturing of electronics and appliances. The findings are presented in the report ‘Nature Positive: Role of the Technology Sector,’ developed with Oliver Wyman. Around one-third of the identified value is linked to infrastructure and the built environment, including energy-efficient buildings, smart metering, wastewater reuse, and sustainable construction. The remainder is associated with nature restoration, sustainable land use, and cross-sector energy-efficiency opportunities enabled by digital technology.
- https://www.oliverwyman.de/unsere-expertise/publikationen/2025/jan/accelerating-nature-positive-efforts-mining-and-metals-sector.html – An article by Oliver Wyman discusses how the mining and metals sector can accelerate nature-positive efforts. Mining and metals companies provide essential materials for various industries, including construction, energy, transport infrastructure, manufacturing, consumer goods, agriculture, and defense. However, the sector is also carbon-intensive, with 9.6 billion metric tons of metal ores extracted in 2020, accounting for 10% of global material extraction. Future demand growth for the sector is expected to be driven by the clean energy transition, as metals and minerals like aluminum, copper, cobalt, nickel, lithium, and rare earth elements are crucial for scaling up energy transition infrastructure and electrifying the transport and mobility system. Critical mineral demand is projected to increase four to six times by 2040. The article highlights the intrinsic link between the mining and metals sector and nature, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices to mitigate environmental impacts and support the transition to a nature-positive economy.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is based on a press release from the World Economic Forum, dated 4 December 2025, indicating high freshness. ([weforum.org](https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/12/tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds/?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
Direct quotes from Pim Valdre and Nick Studer are present in the narrative. These quotes are consistent with those found in the World Economic Forum’s press release, suggesting they are directly sourced from the original report. ([weforum.org](https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/12/tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds/?utm_source=openai))
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from the World Economic Forum, a reputable organisation known for its authoritative publications and research. ([weforum.org](https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/12/tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds/?utm_source=openai))
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims made in the narrative align with the World Economic Forum’s report, which is corroborated by multiple reputable sources. ([weforum.org](https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/12/tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds/?utm_source=openai))
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is based on a recent press release from the World Economic Forum, dated 4 December 2025, indicating high freshness. ([weforum.org](https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/12/tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds/?utm_source=openai)) The quotes from Pim Valdre and Nick Studer are consistent with those found in the original report, suggesting they are directly sourced. ([weforum.org](https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/12/tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds/?utm_source=openai)) The World Economic Forum is a reputable organisation known for its authoritative publications and research. ([weforum.org](https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/12/tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds/?utm_source=openai)) The claims made in the narrative align with the World Economic Forum’s report, which is corroborated by multiple reputable sources. ([weforum.org](https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/12/tech-sector-growth-under-threat-without-value-chain-sustainability-new-nature-report-finds/?utm_source=openai))
