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Perspectives on the roles of digital technologies: To what extent is it offering solutions for or contributing to the climate crisis?

Conference of the Parties: COP26

An image of a globe in blue, white and green created from swirly patterns on the left and the symbols COP26 in large block letters to the right. The COP is in blue and the 26 in green, both matching the colours used in the globe ("COP 26 Key Outcomes: Why Is This Important for Education Unionists?", 2021). 

Digital Technologies and climate

The Climate Change Conference of 2021 (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland brought together many great thinkers in the world to discuss many critical components of the climate crisis. One such area of discussion, and action, is that of role of digital technologies. 

Digital technologies, as defined on a previous page of the blog, has the potential (in most cases, yet unproven) to deliver sustained solutions to the climate crisis. However, it is also true that there are negative environmental and climate impacts due to digital tech and information systems overall. 

The United Nations (UN) climate change events YouTube channel has various videos highlighting the discussions around this complex issue. One such video is included below. By clicking on the video below it can be played in the blog browser. You can also access it in YouTube directly by clicking HERE which will open a new window. There you will have access to the transcript of the video as well. 

Video from UN Climate Change - Events (2023). A panel discussion of the role of digital technology in creating climate solutions. 

Communications resulting from COP26

Outside of UN sponsored talks and events, there are various independent researchers investigating this fascinating intersection. In the International Journal of Information Management, an opinion paper entitled Climate change and COP26, summarizes the current thoughts on this very topic (Dwivedi et al., 2022). A compilation of expert opinions, ideas and research into areas such as human behaviour, education, society and governance are compiled to provide a deep and thoughtful overview of current understandings. 

Within this compilation, some very evident themes emerged. These include:
  1. Technology is an essential component of the discussion around climate change solutions.
  2. The sustainable development goals (SDG) are framing much of the change happening in both the private and public sectors around climate change action.
  3. Advances involving digital technologies come with enormous costs. These costs are on various fronts: environmental; social; and economic.
  4. Waste management is emerging as one of the largest hurdles in the digital technology sector.
  5. Policy change is needed for progress, however, behavioural modification at the personal and societal level has a significant place in the conversation. Not all responsibility lays with government entities.
(Dwivedi et al., 2022)

What's next in Digital Tech and the Climate Crisis?

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has identified a list of six "essential" technologies to help humans adapt to the climate crisis (Masterson, 2024). Notice, these are not technologies focused on solutions to the climate crisis. Masterson identifies Artificial Intelligence (AI), drone technology, advanced computing, the Internet of Things, Earth observation and augmented reality as the most important technologies (2024). The focus of the WEF is risk mitigation, dynamic response to disaster and building resilience in society (Masterson, 2024).

Cutting edge technologies to take action towards net zero, such as carbon capture technologies, are more solution focussed versus adaptation driven. This is where the true power of digital technology is needed and we need to become more innovative, creative and adaptable. This is the step which will require true change and sacrifice by individuals and societies as a whole.  


Works Cited

COP 26 key outcomes: Why is this important for education unionists? (2021, December 8). Ei-Ie.org. https://www.ei-ie.org/en/item/25606:cop-26-key-outcomes-why-is-this-important-for-education-unionists

Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Kar, A. K., Baabdullah, A. M., Grover, P., Abbas, R., Andreini, D., Abumoghli, I., Barlette, Y., Bunker, D., Chandra Kruse, L., Constantiou, I., Davison, R. M., De’, R., Dubey, R., Fenby-Taylor, H., Gupta, B., He, W., Kodama, M., & Mäntymäki, M. (2022). Climate change and COP26: Are digital technologies and information management part of the problem or the solution? An editorial reflection and call to action. International Journal of Information Management, 63(63), 102456. sciencedirect. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2021.102456

‌‌Masterson, V. (2024, February 8). 6 technologies to help the world adapt to climate change.     World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/02/ai-climate-adaptation-technologies/‌

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