The Chicken or the Egg: Deciphering the Relationship Between Digitalisation and Sustainability

May 05,2024

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Does digitalisation contribute to making our society more sustainable, or does it pose additional challenges to sustainability? Digitalisation and sustainability are often considered separately. This disconnect is evident even at the highest policy-making levels; governments and policymakers often have separate strategies for digitalisation and sustainability without fully integrating them, such as in the European Union. While the EU has ambitious goals through its Green Deal to combat climate change and biodiversity loss, it also has a Digital Decade strategy. 

In exploring the relationship between digitalisation and sustainability, it's crucial to recognise that digitalisation is not an end in itself. Rather, it is a powerful means to achieve environmental sustainability. This perspective is pivotal in understanding how digitalisation can be leveraged to address pressing global challenges.

This article delves into the intersection of digitalisation and sustainability, exploring whether our current path towards a smart society will also lead to a greener one. We will understand the environmental and social footprint of ICT hardware production, how digitalisation can promote sustainable consumption and production and examine governance options to shape digitalisation towards sustainability.



Tables of Content

    1. The Impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
    2. The Potential of Digitalization in Promoting Sustainability
    3. Case for a Sustainable Governance 
    4. Conclusion

1. The Impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT):

The production of ICT hardware is resource-intensive, has a significant energy footprint and contributes to environmental pollution. Fossil fuel is used to power ICT, and scarce minerals are used to produce ICT and E-waste, including discarded electronics like smartphones and computers. 

Digitalisation isn't just about virtual or intangible things; it has a materialistic nature too. In digitalisation, we often extract resources for things like smartphones and then throw them away without recycling much. This process also relies heavily on fossil fuels, contributing to climate change. To tackle these issues, we should aim for "digital sufficiency," using digital tools only when necessary and making them last longer. 

How Can We Use ICT More Sustainably?

  • Longevity of Devices: Focus on using devices for as long as possible before replacing them, to reduce waste and resource consumption.

  • Repair over Replacement: Prioritise repairing devices instead of buying new ones, promoting a circular economy approach.

  • Mindful Data Management: Be cautious with how data is used, stored, and shared, to minimise unnecessary data creation and storage
  • Digital Detox: Periodically disconnect from digital devices to reduce overall digital consumption and promote mental health.

 2   The Potential of Digitalization in Promoting Sustainability:

  1. Potential of Digitalization for Sustainability Transformation:

    • Cause: ICT hardware production is currently unsustainable.
    • Effect: "However, using these devices innovatively can reduce energy, resource demand, and emissions in other sectors, potentially achieving a positive environmental impact and balance."
  2. Substitution Potential:

    • Cause: Digitalisation allows for the substitution of physical goods with digital alternatives.
    • Effect: This includes the shift from printed media to online formats, reducing the use of ink and carbon footprint, paper, and deforestation. For instance, during lockdowns, video conferencing replaced physical travel, leading to a temporary reduction in global emissions.
  3. Access to Sustainable Products:

    • Cause: Digitalisation facilitates access to sustainably manufactured products.
    • Effect: Online shopping enables consumers to easily choose sustainably produced goods, supporting environmental and social production standards. However, the share of sustainable products in the market is not increasing significantly.
  4. Consumption Patterns:

    • Cause: Digital consumption often adds to traditional consumption instead of replacing it.
    • Effect: While e-commerce grows, brick-and-mortar shopping remains stable or increases. Digitalisation's efficiency improvements lead to rebound effects, where saved time and money are used to consume more, negating potential environmental benefits.
  5. Conclusion on Digitalization's Environmental Impact:

The materialistic basis of ICT hardware production, combined with rebound effects, outweighs the potential substitution and efficiency benefits.As a result, digitalisation currently does not significantly contribute to solving environmental Impact.

Case for Sustainability Governance:

  1. Multi-modality Platforms:

    • Support and invest in platforms that offer various transportation modes (biking, public transport, ride-sharing) for a single journey.
    • Encourage sustainable mobility by showing users environmentally friendly routes, not just the shortest distance.
  2. Data Use in E-commerce: 

    • Large e-commerce platforms use consumer data to promote mass consumption, leading to unsustainable levels of consumption. 
    • To address this, we should develop rules and tools that encourage sustainable consumption. For example, we can create green shopping assistants that suggest repairing items, sharing goods, or buying pre-loved items instead of purchasing new ones.

  3. Local Commerce Platforms:

  • Promote local platforms connecting consumers with local vendors to decentralise consumption.
  • Provide data support and market trend analysis to empower local businesses against large e-commerce platforms by encouraging Investment in public data pools and governance to support sustainable alternatives in consumption and production.

 

It is crucial to emphasise human and political control over the relentless advancement of technology. Instead of merely pursuing new gadgets or pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence, we must focus on responsible use and regulation rather than disruptive technological development.

Conclusion 

We need to take charge of how technology grows. Instead of just making more gadgets or pushing for more artificial intelligence, we should focus on controlling and regulating how we use technology. This way, we can make sure that digitalization helps us become more sustainable. 
As an online marketing agency specialising in building green websites with lower carbon footprints, we see the critical need for a harmonious relationship between digitalisation and sustainability. By championing sustainable web development, we're not just reducing emissions but also advocating for a future where digital innovation and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. Together, we can pave the way for a greener, more sustainable digital landscape.

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