Carbon Emission Analysis and Sustainable Website Development Practices in Thailand

Abstract

The rapid growth of information technology and the increasing use of websites in economic, social, and educational activities have caused a continuous rise in energy consumption within digital systems. This is especially true for websites that are not designed with resource efficiency and sustainable principles in mind. These trends have led to considerable levels of carbon dioxide emissions, which affect environmental stability.

This study focuses on two main goals. The first goal is to analyze and assess the environmental impact of the 100 most visited websites in Thailand. The second goal is to offer practical recommendations for creating websites that reduce negative effects on the environment.

A quantitative research method was used. The top 100 websites in Thailand were assessed using international tools such as Website Carbon Calculator and Ecoindex. These tools are well recognized in academic fields and helped measure several important factors. These include the amount of data transferred, the number of HTTP requests, the total size of each webpage, the complexity of website content, the location of hosting servers, the energy source used by the hosting providers, the use of content delivery networks, and the application of caching techniques.

The findings presented a cause for concern. Most websites showed a high level of carbon emissions. Sixty-four percent of the assessed websites received an F rating based on the Website Carbon Calculator, indicating the highest environmental impact. Data analysis revealed that the most efficient websites released only 0.21 grams of carbon dioxide per visit. In contrast, the least efficient websites emitted up to 26.62 grams per visit. When projected to 10,000 visits, the highest emitting websites could release over 266 kilograms of carbon dioxide. This amount equaled to what approximately 146 trees would need to absorb through photosynthesis to maintain carbon balance. Results from Ecoindex supported these findings. Eighty percent of the websites showed poor performance, especially in terms of page weight, request count, and website complexity.

Further analysis showed that many websites had an average of 189 HTTP requests per page. This number was far higher than the recommended range for sustainable web development. In comparison, websites with a lower environmental footprint had no more than 30 requests per page. Additional analysis found that oversized image files, uncompressed videos, and unnecessary or inefficient code were the main reasons for excessive data use and energy consumption.

An assessment of web hosting providers revealed mixed practices. About 53% of the websites used hosting services that support renewable energy or have certifications from organizations like the Green Web Foundation. However, the remaining 47% used hosting services that could not clearly verify their energy sources.

Based on this field study and a review of 34 academic articles published between 2016 and 2025, the researcher identified six key practices for sustainable website development. These practices include 1) choosing environmentally friendly hosting and content networks, 2) planning goals clearly during the development process, 3) designing websites for energy efficiency, 4) using technical development that reduces data load, 5) regularly monitoring performance, and 6) increasing awareness through support from the public sector.

This research highlights that even though sustainable web practices have been widely developed and disseminated globally, many challenges still exist in applying them in the Thai context. These include a lack of deep knowledge, low awareness at both the individual and organizational level, and limited support from national policy. Therefore, the study recommends that the government develop clear policy frameworks and encourage cooperation with private companies to support environmentally responsible website development. Such efforts are necessary for Thailand to move toward long-term sustainable development in a practical and effective way.