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Creating effective governance for digitalization requires more than just smart incentives or a mix of regulatory and financial tools from public authorities. It calls for what it refers to as a Digital Green Deal.
A Digital Green Deal should be connected to a broad vision of how digital technologies can help people everywhere achieve a decent living within the planet’s environmental limits. This vision needs to address environmental challenges, equity, and justice and be adaptable to different local and cultural contexts. It should ensure equal access to digital green solutions, especially in low-income countries, while aligning with international goals like the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Climate Change Framework.
Such a vision requires collaboration with citizens, civil society, and the private sector, ensuring that diverse business models are included rather than letting a few large tech companies dominate the conversation.
A Digital Green Deal aims to align sustainability policies with digital policies through three main goals:
Reduce the Environmental Footprint of Digital Technologies:
– Implement environmental standards for hardware production, increase recycled materials, and design devices to be modular and repairable.
– Encourage business models that focus on leasing rather than selling devices.
– Set strict energy standards for devices and data centers, improving them over time.
Promote Digital Solutions for Sustainable Transformation:
– Develop digital solutions that transform systems of provision and distribution while minimizing harmful digital innovations.
– Address opportunities and risks of digital technologies across various sectors like energy, mobility, agriculture, housing, and industry.
– Ensure digital solutions provide added value compared to non-digital ones and mitigate risks from environmental events or cyber-attacks.
Integrate Sustainability into Digital Policies:
– Establish production standards for platform markets, including energy standards for video streaming and social media, and promote low-energy housing and transportation.
– Develop future legislation that includes environmental and social standards for digital services.
– Ensure policies on data governance, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and digital finance support sustainability goals.
Policymakers pursuing these goals must understand that using technology to drive sustainability doesn’t eliminate the need for changes in production and consumption. Some initiatives, like the current EU Green Deal, may face resistance from certain producers and consumers. A Digital Green Deal will need to address these existing power structures.
Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901123001211
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This post perfectly captures the need for a Digital Green Deal! We need a comprehensive vision that integrates digitalization with environmental and social goals, moving beyond just incentives. A Digital Green Deal that tackles equity, environmental challenges, and local contexts, all while aligning with international sustainability efforts, is truly powerful.
To make this transformative, let’s consider citizen engagement through interactive workshops, online forums, or even citizen science initiatives. Clear metrics to track progress on environmental, social, and economic fronts are also essential for accountability. Finally, bridging the digital divide with specific strategies to ensure equal access to digital green solutions in low-income countries is crucial.
This is a fantastic post! A well-designed Digital Green Deal with citizen participation, clear measurement, and inclusive access has the potential to be a game-changer for a sustainable future.
Great article! The vision for a Digital Green Deal is inspiring and essential. Emphasizing collaboration across sectors, reducing the environmental impact of digital technologies, and ensuring equitable access to digital solutions globally are key steps. It’s encouraging to see a focus on sustainability integrated into digital policies. Overcoming resistance from existing power structures will be a challenge, but with continued dialogue and cooperation, a more sustainable and equitable future is achievable. Looking forward to seeing these ideas put into action!