Digital technologies are often regarded to be a game changer to facilitate green growth. So far, digitalization has neither led to strong economic growth, nor to reduced environmental pressures.
In this workshop, a concept is presented that outlines how the digital and the sustainability transition can be reconciled. Rather than following a green growth strategy, the concept delineates a digitalized and sustainable economy beyond growth. The concept will be presented and discussed in break-out groups as well as in plenary.
The concept starts with four reasons why digitalization has not and is unlikely to facilitate green growth: (1) Low realization of digital efficiency gains, (2) a limited shift from products to services, but at the same time (3) a substantial environmental footprint of digital devices and (4) rebound and induction effects of digital applications. These reasons in turn are caused by an economic framework that is not geared towards sustainability but dependent on economic growth.
The concept continues by outlining an at alternative approach. A digital economy needs to be organized independent from economic growth, in particular regarding employment and social welfare systems. Further, digital tools entail various sufficiency-potentials: digital substitution, digitally enhanced-sharing, online second hand, know-how for repairing and prosuming and subsistence.
In the discussion, we will focus on the main results of the concept:
- That the digital and the sustainability transitions need to be combined with strategies beyond growth.
- That strong environmental policies need to be combined with an equitably organization of the digitalized economy.