Computing is an essential component of modern research, and it comes with significant, but not always well-understood, environmental impacts. The climate crisis is urgent, and it is becoming increasingly apparent to scientists using computing that the resulting environmental effects should be taken into account and mitigated where possible.
The global carbon footprint of data centres is estimated at ~126 MT CO2e per year (mega tonnes of CO2-equivalent), equivalent to the entire US commercial aviation. It is not uncommon to have scientific computations reaching (hundreds of) tonnes of CO2e (e.g. Large Language Models over 500 T CO2e). For context, the IPCC target to keep global warming under 1.5C is around 2 tonnes per year and per person.
Green DiSC is an attempt at providing computational researchers and research-performing organisations with a roadmap on how to tackle the environmental impacts of their work, while giving recognition for all the good work done in this space!
Who’s it for?
Green DiSC can be completed by anyone working in research, across any research domain. There are criteria aimed at research groups and separate criteria for central teams (e.g. a sustainability team or an IT team).
Ideally, research groups and the central team in the same organisation will work together to complete the certification, with the central team addressing common infrastructures and research groups focusing on their activities, but of course, it can also be completed independently (just as a group or just as a central team).
What about the private sector and industry? Currently we are focusing our resources for certification on academia/non-profit, but working towards including these teams in future rollouts. If you would like more information or would like to express interest in joining the certification from the private sector, please email info@greendisc.org. Besides, the criteria are open access so you are very welcome to follow the roadmap already!
Research group
This category includes groups or laboratories of any size, including for example computational groups, research software engineering teams, groups doing both wet lab and dry lab research.
Enrol here
Central team
This category includes central sustainability teams within an organisation, a department’s sustainability representative, or an IT team.
Enrol hereHow does it work, and what are the criteria?
Three levels of certifications will be available: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Bronze is available now and the pilot for Silver is starting (interested in participating? Register interest for the pilot here).
The criteria were selected following some key principles:
- Evidence-based, to ensure that the criteria included have the maximum impact on research sustainability while favouring engagement with the framework.
- Open access, so that all scientists can engage with this framework.
- Iterative, so that the criteria developed evolve as institutions’ policies change and our understanding of environmental impacts progresses.
- Community-based, to leverage the great resources being designed internally by different institutions.
Interested? Here is what to do next:
- Sign up to the newsletter to receive occasional updates about Green DiSC.
- If you have questions, check out the recording and slides of our latest information webinar. Or reach out at info@greendisc.org
- Check out the Bronze criteria.
- Enrol your group and/or central team. For groups it’s this form and for central teams this one here.
- Have you thought of joining the ECSC community for Environmentally Sustainable Computational Science? You can do that here.
We will create a Google Drive space for you (we aim to do that within 48h of you completing the form, but it may take longer). In this drive space, you will find more guidelines on how to manage the scheme and support on working your way through the Bronze level.
You will also be given access to a closed group on the ESCS Forum to ask questions and connect with other groups taking part, and you will have a point of contact for any question you may have.
Once you’re part of the scheme, it depends slightly on whether you are representing a research group or a central team at your institution. Either way, you will then have the time you need to make your way through the criteria before submitting an application to be certified. We aim to offer regular opportunities for participants to submit their completed applications for certifications (every 3-4 months on average for now). The next deadlines will be:
- Friday 9 May 2025
- Thursday 31 July 2025
Each group or central team taking part will be audited by outside auditors to receive the certification. This will be achieved through peer audit: each group or central team taking part will commit to audit another group or central team. Why?
- Because this is a great opportunity to learn what is being done in other organisations.
- Because the certification scheme is free to enrol, but not free to run, and community-based auditing is a good way to keep a low barrier to entry.
The audit will involve reviewing the written application for the Bronze criteria, followed by a virtual meeting between the team applying and the reviewer to discuss it.
Is Green DiSC for me?
The Green DiSC certification can help any group that uses computation in their research as well as central sustainability teams. For example:
Groups:
- A fully “dry lab” or computing research group (e.g. computational biology, astrophysics, statistics, machine learning, engineering, chemistry etc.).
- A research software engineering team.
- A group doing both wet lab and dry lab research.
Central teams:
- Organisation’s central sustainability team.
- Department’s sustainability representative.
- IT team.
What about the private sector and industry? Currently we are focusing our resources for certification on academia/non-profit, but working towards including these teams in future rollouts. If you would like more information or would like to express interest in joining the certification from the private sector, please email info@greendisc.org. Besides, the criteria are open access so you are very welcome to follow the roadmap already!
Is there a cost to joining?
No, there is no joining fee for the scheme or certification. The criteria themselves are open-access (no paywall!).
As a central team or head of sustainability, can I award Green DiSC certification to groups in my organisation?
No, Green DiSC certifications are awarded by us (the Green DiSC team) after external auditing of the applications. To receive the certification, you need to enrol and apply as described above.
Why are there no criteria about sustainability outside of computing?
Green DiSC is a sustainability scheme dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of computing research and can be completed alongside other sustainability schemes. Please consult your organisation for other sustainability schemes related to wet lab activities or institute practice.
Where can I find more info?
Interested in learning more information about sustainability in computer research? You can find that on the Green Algorithms homepage for example. Green Algorithms is a project that aims to promote sustainable practice in computing. You can find useful tips and tools as well as links to publications on sustainability in computer research through the homepage. If you’re an RSE, join the Green RSE Special Interest Group.
Any other questions?
Check out the recording and slides of our latest information webinar.
The best place to ask questions about this scheme is the dedicated space on the ESCS community forum, but if you’d rather message privately, you can email us at info@greendisc.org.
How to contact us:
You can email us at info@greendisc.org or ask your questions on the dedicated space on the ESCS community forum.
What is the licence on the criteria?
All the material related to Green DiSC is covered by a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0.
The team behind it and credits
Green DiSC has been made possible with support from the Software Sustainability Institute, the University of Cambridge and UKRI.
The scheme is managed by Loïc Lannelongue at the University of Cambridge, who also leads the Green Algorithms project, with essential support from Kirsty Pringle, Denis Barclay, Shoaib Sufi and Oscar Seip at the SSI and Melissa Tordoff at the University of Cambridge.
Other credits:
- The logo was designed by Denis Barclay.
- The name “Green DiSC” for the certification was based on suggestions by Alex Carroll, Santiago Madera and Michael Inouye.