Computing is at a moment of profound opportunity. Emerging applications -- such as capable artificial intelligence, immersive virtual realities, and pervasive sensor systems -- drive unprecedented demand for computer. Despite recent advances toward net zero carbon emissions, the computing industry's gross energy usage continues to rise at an alarming rate, outpacing the growth of new energy installations and renewable energy deployments. A shift towards sustainability is needed to spark a transformation in how computer systems are manufactured, allocated, and consumed. Carbon Connect envisions coordinated research thrusts that produce design and management strategies for sustainable, next-generation computer systems. These strategies must flatten and then reverse growth trajectories for computing power and carbon for society's most rapidly growing applications such as artificial intelligence and virtual spaces. We will require accurate models for carbon accounting in computing technology. For embodied carbon, we must re-think conventional design strategies -- over-provisioned monolithic servers, frequent hardware refresh cycles, custom silicon -- and adopt life-cycle design strategies that more effectively reduce, reuse and recycle hardware at scale. For operational carbon, we must not only embrace renewable energy but also design systems to use that energy more efficiently. Finally, new hardware design and management strategies must be cognizant of economic policy and regulatory landscape, aligning private initiatives with societal goals. Many of these broader goals will require computer scientists to develop deep, enduring collaborations with researchers in economics, law, and industrial ecology to spark change in broader practice.

翻译：计算正处在一个充满深刻机遇的时刻。新兴应用——如强大的人工智能、沉浸式虚拟现实和普适传感器系统——推动着对计算机前所未有的需求。尽管近期在实现净零碳排放方面取得了进展，但计算行业的总体能源消耗仍以惊人速度持续增长，超过了新能源设施建设和可再生能源部署的增长速度。需要向可持续性转型，以引发计算机系统制造、分配和消费方式的根本变革。碳连接构想了一系列协调的研究方向，旨在为可持续的下一代计算机系统制定设计与管理策略。这些策略必须首先遏制并最终逆转社会增长最快的应用（如人工智能和虚拟空间）在计算能力和碳排放方面的增长轨迹。我们需要建立精确的计算技术碳核算模型。对于隐含碳，我们必须重新思考传统设计策略——过度配置的一体化服务器、频繁的硬件更新周期、定制芯片——并采用能更有效实现大规模硬件减量化、再利用和再循环的生命周期设计策略。对于运行碳，我们不仅需要拥抱可再生能源，还必须设计能更高效利用这些能源的系统。最后，新的硬件设计和管理策略必须充分考虑经济政策和监管环境，使私营部门的举措与社会目标保持一致。其中许多更广泛的目标将要求计算机科学家与经济学、法学和工业生态学领域的研究者建立深入持久的合作，以在更广泛的实践中引发变革。