GREENER principles for environmentally sustainable computational science

Loïc Lannelongue; Hans-Erik G Aronson; Alex Bateman; Ewan Birney; Talia Caplan; Martin Juckes; Johanna McEntyre; Andrew D Morris; Gerry Reilly; Michael Inouye

doi:10.1038/s43588-023-00461-y

GREENER principles for environmentally sustainable computational science

Nat Comput Sci. 2023 Jun;3(6):514-521. doi: 10.1038/s43588-023-00461-y. Epub 2023 Jun 26.

Authors

Loïc Lannelongue^{1

2

3

4}, Hans-Erik G Aronson⁵, Alex Bateman⁶, Ewan Birney⁶, Talia Caplan⁷, Martin Juckes⁸, Johanna McEntyre⁶, Andrew D Morris⁵, Gerry Reilly⁵, Michael Inouye^{9

10

11

12

13

14

15}

Affiliations

¹ Cambridge Baker Systems Genomics Initiative, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. ll582@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
² British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. ll582@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
³ Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart and Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. ll582@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
⁴ Health Data Research UK Cambridge, Wellcome Genome Campus and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. ll582@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
⁵ Health Data Research (HDR) UK, London, UK.
⁶ European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK.
⁷ Wellcome Trust, London, UK.
⁸ RAL Space, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Harwell Campus, Didcot, UK.
⁹ Cambridge Baker Systems Genomics Initiative, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
¹⁰ British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
¹¹ Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart and Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
¹² Health Data Research UK Cambridge, Wellcome Genome Campus and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
¹³ Cambridge Baker Systems Genomics Initiative, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
¹⁴ British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
¹⁵ The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK.

PMID: 38177425
DOI: 10.1038/s43588-023-00461-y

Abstract

The carbon footprint of scientific computing is substantial, but environmentally sustainable computational science (ESCS) is a nascent field with many opportunities to thrive. To realize the immense green opportunities and continued, yet sustainable, growth of computer science, we must take a coordinated approach to our current challenges, including greater awareness and transparency, improved estimation and wider reporting of environmental impacts. Here, we present a snapshot of where ESCS stands today and introduce the GREENER set of principles, as well as guidance for best practices moving forward.

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