Greening the Desk: From Paper Trails to Climate Goals

Climate change is a natural phenomenon. It is inevitable that nature will change and rehabilitate itself on its own with its own resources in its ecosystem. It is a phase that takes up time spanning over many years, decades, centuries. Then what is it that makes climate change the talk of the town? What is it that makes it a burning issue? It’s us humans. Our presence, our existence, and our enhanced developed modern lifestyle as a catalyst in the ecosystem has made the nature vulnerable. Thus, it is always mentioned that the present change in climate is human induced climate change. The change in the climatic elements have been accelerated due to human actions. The industrial revolution with automation has introduced speed to development but on the other hand became the main catalyst in causing climate change. The environmental cost of automation starts with massive use of fossil fuel followed by unchecked emission and deforestation. What this does is disrupt the environment's natural functionality. This legacy of industrialization opens up conversation on how climate conscious and sustainable initiatives can be run to rethink development. This is where automation at this technologically developed age becomes a major determinant of how we humans help nature and co-exist without harming it. This is where human behavior and small practices start to matter. According to UNDP (2022), digital infrastructure can assist nations reach their climate targets. Not by grandiose slogans, but through tiny adjustments on desks across the country.  

Bangladeshi government offices are notorious for being overrun with paperwork, printing lineups, and piled up files. While this is a traditional scenario, public officials have started to move towards a system known as D-Nothi to handle their paperwork online. D-Nothi is an advanced electronic filing system developed as a web-based application to transform the traditional government paperwork process. Its journey began in 2012 as the National e-Service System (NESS), designed to bring essential government services closer to the people, from ministries to grassroots communities. Recognizing the need for faster, more efficient decision-making within the government, the system was introduced as e-Nothi in 2016 and eventually D-Nothi in 2021. Today, D-Nothi is operational in over 15,000 government offices, significantly reducing bureaucratic delays and improving efficiency, transparency, and accountability across public institutions. By digitizing documentation processes, D-Nothi facilitates quicker decision-making, reduces dependency on physical paperwork, and supports a paperless administrative environment. This change is not yet complete, but it is continuously transforming the government’s’s paper-based operations. The system, being an effort to strengthen governance through improving office efficiency and transparency, has the potential to assist the environment as well. We often talk about common disasters but seldom discuss how human practices might benefit the environment. Adoption of digital technologies in workspaces is such a practice.  The traditional paper-based government operations require printing of paper. Paper production leads to deforestation, water shortages, and carbon emissions (Dias and Arroja, 2012). For example; producing 17 reams of A4 paper is equivalent to cutting down one mature tree; each ton of paper requires 20,000 to 30,000 liters of water, and methane, which is 25 times more hazardous than CO₂ is released as paper decomposes in landfills (Van Ewijk & Stegemann, 2016; UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme, 2017; IPCC, 2007; Environmental Paper Network, 2018; American Forest & Paper Association, 2020). The physical need for paper and its negative impacts can be avoided through adoption of systems like D-Nothi. Not printing a physical copy is a small but very significant decision as there are thousands of departments in the administrative system. This small, daily decisions accumulate into a substantial environmental impact. Moreover, virtual workflow has reduced the need for physical travel between offices, cutting transportation-related emissions. One of the most immediate benefits is the significant reduction in administrative costs. Traditional costs are often hidden in routine operations that collectively place a heavy financial burden on the government. With the introduction of digital platforms like D-Nothi, many of these expenses have been minimized. Files now move electronically, reducing the need for printing, physical storage, and costly deliveries. Beyond cost savings, the digital transformation saves time for both government officials and citizens. Faster workflows enable public services to be delivered more efficiently. In place of long queues or multiple visits to different departments, D-Nothi ensures that requests, applications, and approvals move seamlessly across government offices. The result is a more responsive and accessible administration that is prepared to serve citizens better while saving resources. Putting less stress on resources creates opportunities for better utilization of the limited resources, helping meet the crisis and accelerate development initiatives. 

In meeting climate targets Bangladesh can utilize the D-Nothi platform, such as displaying and tracking how much carbon the users or offices saved by not printing. A carbon monitoring dashboard can be introduced through the platform. This would promote even better habits. The D-Nothi system is not designed to combat climate change. However, it now aligns with Bangladesh's climate agenda and has started to contribute in numerous ways. When an officer sends a digital note rather than printing 20 copies, this is a climate of action. When ministries meet digitally rather than sending cars full of workers, that is sustainable. The cumulative effort of the actions taken at the individual level will boil down to a greater impact. For this, Bangladesh needs to train additional workers and improve their capacity and digital skills, enhance digital literacy through training and sensitization, and make D-Nothi more user-friendly. It also needs to ensure that all administrative offices have equal access to the internet. The rural offices and its infrastructures need to be updated accordingly to create a cumulative impact through D-Nothi, both in service providence and positive climate contribution. With these efforts, D-Nothi can establish itself as a pioneer in green governance. Bangladesh is not yet paperless. But it is heading that way. Each new login and file transferred without printing moves the country closer to a smarter and more sustainable administration. Green governance is just a click away. 

References 

Access to Information [a2i] Programme. (2025). Government of Bangladesh. https://a2i.portal.gov.bd/site/page/4f89440f-da91-4620-b33d-5d90bcbc4ae3/-  

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2022). Human Development Report 2022: Digital Public Infrastructure for Sustainable Development. United Nations Development Programme. https://hdr.undp.org   

Van Ewijk, S., & Stegemann, J. A. (2016). Limitations of the circular economy: The case of paper recycling in Europe. Ecological Economics, 125, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.01.001  

UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme. (2017). The United Nations World Water Development Report 2017: Wastewater – The Untapped Resource. Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/  

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2007). Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC. Cambridge University Press.  

Environmental Paper Network. (2018). The State of the Global Paper Industry. Retrieved from: https://environmentalpaper.org  

American Forest & Paper Association. (2020). Sustainability and Paper Facts. Retrieved from: https://afandpa.org