Data usage and video conferencing

In our everyday lives, streaming media via YouTube, Netflix, TikTok and the like is ubiquitous. As the name suggests, however, every time video or audio content is streamed, a large amount of data flows through the internet. Downloading and uploading data requires energy – both locally and in data centres – and consequently generates greenhouse gas emissions. Calculated over a year, each person could save an average of around 0.7 kg CO₂e by cutting back on streaming by just one hour a week (Kompetenzzentrum Nachhaltiger Konsum, 2026).

In everyday working and study life, the energy consumption of video conferences in particular is often underestimated. Since the pandemic, many meetings have been held digitally. According to Microsoft, the amount of time users spend in meetings each week rose by 252 % between 2020 and 2022. At the same time, the number of weekly meetings increased by 153 % (Microsoft, 2026).

Even the simple measure of switching off the camera can significantly reduce the resource consumption of a video conference. For example, in a study of the Google Meet and Zoom mobile apps, Wattenbach et al. (2022) found that, in their tests, energy consumption was significantly higher – 274 % and 285 % respectively – when the camera was switched on. Transmission quality also affects energy consumption: those who do not require HD resolution can reduce the image quality.

Obringer et al. (2021) calculated for a specific scenario that switching off the camera can reduce monthly CO₂e emissions from 9.4 kg to 0.377 kg – that is, by a factor of around 25. Put simply: Under these assumptions, for every minute of video calling, one could make a call without video for just under 25 minutes. The total environmental footprint – including greenhouse gas emissions as well as water and land use – could be reduced by up to 96 %.

At the same time, depending on the event format, virtual meetings can be an environmentally friendly alternative to in-person events if they eliminate the need for many participants to make long journeys. Periyasamy et al. (2022), for example, compared a virtual conference with an in-person one and found that the virtual event resulted in significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by a further 80 % by adjusting the transmission quality and not using the camera.