The Carbon Cost of the Digital – Carbon.Crane at UNICEF Conference

At the UNICEF Climate Heroes Conference, György Huszics, co-founder and CEO of Carbon.Crane, joined a panel discussion focused on the carbon footprint of technology. Speaking directly to an audience of 13–18-year-olds, he addressed the environmental impact of digital tools, highlighting issues such as digital carbon emissions and energy efficiency.

During this unconventional session, the audience had the chance to measure the carbon footprint of their own social media use in real time using their smartphones. The collective annual footprint—more than 20 tonnes—was visualized instantly through an interactive display, sparking surprise among the attendees.

UNICEF Hungary’s flagship event gathered nearly 1,500 participants, mostly upper primary and secondary school students. The tech-focused panel also featured Péter Szabó, Managing Director of Microsoft Hungary, and Dr. András Márton, Assistant Professor at Corvinus University and sustainability expert. The discussion was moderated by UNICEF Youth Ambassador Anna Bársony.

Following the roundtable, Carbon.Crane experts led a hands-on workshop for interested students and teachers. The interactive session explored key questions about digital carbon footprints and gave participants the opportunity to test professional tools and learn practical tips for improving the energy efficiency of their devices.

Carbon.Crane developed its educational program in 2023 and tested it in collaboration with four Hungarian universities. By 2024, the CarbonClass program became available nationwide to partner institutions. Alongside its original interactive workshop format, the company has also introduced two new versions: a condensed, gamified edition tailored to younger audiences, and a version adapted for corporate sustainability trainings. The gamified format was showcased for the first time at the UNICEF conference.

Budapest, 2025.04.09.