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Digital Reset: Redirecting Technologies for the Deep Sustainability Transformation

Steffen Lange, Tilman Santarius et al.

München: Oekom Verlag; Digitalization for Sustainability (D4S) (2023), 106 pp.

"The Report »Digital Reset« shows how digital technologies can support the quest for such a deep sustainability transformation. The report provides a blueprint for the European Union on how to reconceptualise digitalisation so that it first and foremost contributes to achieving carbon neutrality, ... more

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Digital Entrepreneurship in Vietnam’s Green Tech Sector: An Analysis of Challenges and Implications

Pablo Perez Akaki, Mohammad Atif Aleem, Arturo Sánchez Carmona et al.

Berlin: Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) (2023), 18 pp.

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Regional E-Waste Monitor for the Western Balkans

Giulia Iattoni, Innocent Chidi Nnorom, Daesha Toppenberg, Ruediger Kuehr, Cornelis Peter Baldé

ITU; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR); (2023), 177 pp.

"The amount of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) Placed on Market (POM) in the Western Balkans region increased from 0.16 Mt (9 kg/inhabitant) in 2010 to 0.21 Mt (13 kg/inhabitant) in 2021. Likewise, the regional e-waste generated nearly doubled from 0.09 Mt (5.3 kg/inhabitant) in 2010 to 0. ... more

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National E-waste Monitor Namibia

Geneva: ITU (2023), ix, 28 pp.

"Namibia currently lacks the capacity to monitor e-waste, which makes e-waste hard to track and hampers the setting and assessment of targets that are necessary to move to a more sustainable and circular economy. In line with policy objectives, a draft national policy on management of waste electric ... more

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Towards the harmonization of data collection: A baseline study for e-waste in East Africa

Vanessa Forti, Rosie McDonald

Geneva: ITU (2023), x, 38 pp.

"This study enabled countries in East Africa to produce national statistics on e-waste generated that are harmonized and comparable across countries because the same methods and tools have been used in the assessment. In addition, households and businesses surveys were piloted in Kenya and Burundi t ... more

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KI anders denken: Wie wir selber entscheiden, mit welcher KI wir leben wollen

Berlin: Algorithm Watch (2023), 34 pp.

"KI verschlingt viele Ressourcen und hat oft negative Folgen für unsere Gesellschaft und unsere Umwelt. Um KI nachhaltig und sinnvoll einzusetzen, sind wir alle gefragt: Wir sollten gemeinsam entscheiden, wozu wir KI brauchen – und wozu nicht. Ob in Zukunft KI-Systeme entwickelt werden, die uns a ... more

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Energy challenges for mobile networks in Sub-Saharan Africa: The need for clean and reliable energy for universal connectivity and digital transformation

London: GSMA (2023), 48 pp.

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Digitale Medien und Nachhaltigkeit: Medienpraktiken für ein gutes Leben

Sigrid Kannengießer

Wiesbaden: Springer VS (2022), xi, 277 pp.

"Wie nutzen Individuen, Nichtregierungsorganisationen und Unternehmen digitale Medien, um zu einer nachhaltigen Gesellschaft beizutragen? Die Autorin rekonstruiert in dieser Open-Access-Publikation die sozial-ökologischen Folgen aktueller Digitalisierungsprozesse und zeigt anhand dreier Fallstudien ... more

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Strategy Paper for Circular Economy: Mobile devices

London: GSMA (2022), 51 pp.

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Is AI Good for the Planet?

Benedetta Brevini

Cambridge; Medford, MA: Polity Press (2022), vii, 128 pp.

"Artificial intelligence (AI) is presented as a solution to the greatest challenges of our time, from global pandemics and chronic diseases to cybersecurity threats and the climate crisis. But AI also contributes to the climate crisis by running on technology that depletes scarce resources and by re ... more

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Digitale Selbstbestimmung und Nachhaltigkeit: Verbraucher·innen verloren zwischen Informationslücken und fehlender Regulierung

Anne Mollen, Pia Sombetzki

Digital Autonomy Hub (2022), 9 pp.

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Digitalisierung zukunftsfähig und nachhaltig gestalten: Politische Forderungen der Bits & Bäume 2022

Bits & Bäume (2022), 13 pp.

"Im Jahr 2022 richten 13 Organisationen aus Umweltschutz, Digitalpolitik, Entwicklungspolitik und Wissenschaft gemeinsam mit einer engagierten Community die zweite Konferenz für Digitalisierung und Nachhaltigkeit »Bits & Bäume« aus. Denn wir sind überzeugt: Es braucht politische Veränderungen, ... more

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Künstliche Intelligenz: So lässt sie sich nachhaltiger gestalten

Berlin: Algorithm Watch; Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung (iöw); DAI-Labor (2022), 58 pp.

"Eine Zahl taucht immer wieder in der Diskussion zur Nachhaltigkeit von KI auf: Die Emissionen, die in der Forschungs- und Entwicklungsphase großer Sprachmodelle anfallen, entsprechen den Emissionen von fünf Autos während ihrer gesamten Laufzeit. Diese Zahl stammt aus einer wegweisenden Analyse v ... more

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Klimarelevante Auswirkungen der Digitalisierung: Empfehlungen zur Reduzierung des digitalen CO2-Fußabdrucks

Nora Cording, Julia Gaus

Bonn: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (2021), 34 pp.

"Wie gezeigt wurde, fällt, über den gesamten Produktzyklus hinweg betrachtet, die Herstellung der digitalen Endgeräte, bzgl. der Menge verursachter Treibhausgasemissionen, besonders schwer ins Gewicht. Für Nutzer*innen liegt somit der größte Hebel für eine Reduzierung der Emissionen im Kauf v ... more

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Regional E-Waste Monitor for the Arab States

Giulia Iattoni, Elise Vermeersch, Cornelis Peter Baldé, Innocent Chidi Nnorom, Ruediger Kuehr

Bonn: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR); ITU; United Nations University (UNU) (2021), 103 pp.

"The key statistical findings for the region are that electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) placed on the market (POM) increased by 30 per cent from 3.2 megatons (Mt), or 8.8 kilograms per inhabitant (kg/inh), in 2010 to 4.1 Mt (or 9.5 kg/inh) in 2019. The Arab States mostly import, rather than ... more

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Digital solutions for a circular electronics value chain: A thought paper for International E-Waste Day 2021

Yondeen Sherpa, Deepali Sinha

Geneva; Brussels: ITU; WEEE Forum; GSMA; Sofies Group (2021), 38 pp.

"This paper has shown the diverse application of digital technologies across the electronics value chain, from raw material production and EEE manufacturing to post-consumer e-waste collection, logistics and recycling. Around the world, there is growing interest in digital technologies - particularl ... y AI, robotics, cloud computing, the IoT and blockchain - as tools to strengthen and support a circular electronics value chain from operational and logistical tasks to communication. Digital solutions were found in all stages of the EEE value chain, with some in widespread use. However, globally, technologies are being applied at various scales and in a heterogenous nature. Digital solutions were also found to be largely aimed at the optimization of existing business processes for improved efficiency. Digital solutions were found to address the challenges observed in the electronics value chain. They bridge the information gap between stakeholders by building connectivity and communication channels, as well as between devices, facilitating vital information exchange, including tracking, and monitoring of materials and e-waste flows. Digital technologies such as collection applications and online marketplaces provide consumers with the convenience and incentives to turn in their e-waste. Given the logistical requirements of the value chain and the large amount of EEE and e-waste in circulation, digitalisation leverages data analysis to maximize resources, and optimize processes by increasing efficiency and reducing costs. With the emergence of highly automated or autonomous systems, digital technologies can contribute to the improvement of worker health and safety through improved handling of hazardous materials, as well as increase the efficiency and speed of sorting large quantities of EEE and e-waste, increasing the purity of the waste stream and the amount recycled. As functionality and sophistication of digital technologies increase, solutions are more likely to be employed to access data in real time, design new products and services, and with it, transform business models towards circularity. With the extent of digitalisation varying considerably between and within countries, as well as between private and public entities, it should be noted that digital solutions require resources and an enabling ecosystem to be effectively rolled out across the electronics value chain. Elements such as equal access to digital infrastructure and digital skills, financial viability of the digital applications, the opportunity for public-private partnerships, as well as data security and privacy provisions are important factors in the effectiveness of digital solutions. Furthermore, countries with fledgling e-waste management systems and linear electronics value chains, particularly in LMICs, need to prioritize strengthening linkages between stakeholders and creating robust and circular electronics value chains as a first step. This paper has shown that the electronics value chain and the necessary shift towards a circular economy, can benefit from and be enabled by the use of digital solutions, especially for waste prevention, more transparent producer responsibility and supporting consumer participation. In assessing the potential of digital solutions to strengthen and support the transition towards a circular electronics value chain, it is important to note that such an evolution needs to be complemented with continuing research and efforts to understand its impact on the electronics value chain and its stakeholders, considering the most vulnerable such as those working in the informal sector. Digitalisation comes with numerous benefits, but an unregulated space can alienate some of those involved and potentially underscore inequalities, infringe on privacy and even create more e-waste. Attention should also be paid to the environmental impact of digital technology solutions, from the resources needed for device production, energy consumption during use, and e-waste generation from the solutions themselves. It is important that stakeholders adopting digital solutions consider that they are designed for longevity, taking into consideration the need of future software upgrades, and designed for efficient repair, reuse or refurbishment." (Conclusion) more

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Sustainable, Universal Access to the Internet: Environmental Implications and Policy Choices

Teddy Woodhouse

Washington, DC: Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI); World Wide Web Foundation (2021), 29 pp.

"This report analyses how governments are building climate and carbon factors into their broadband policies, looks at the consequences of inaction, and suggests policy recommendations towards a greener internet. We compiled publicly available documents for the national broadband plans from the 100 l ... more

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Nachhaltigkeit und das 'gute Leben' – Zur Verantwortung der Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaft in digitalen Gesellschaften

Sigrid Kannengießer

Publizistik, volume 65, issue 1 (2020), pp. 7-20

"Die Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaft steht in digitalen Gesellschaften vor zentralen Herausforderungen und einer wissenschaftlichen und gesellschaftlichen Verantwortung. In diesem Artikel werden zwei zentrale Konzepte vorgestellt, mit denen sich die Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaft zune ... more

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How Green is Your Smartphone?

Richard Maxwell, Toby Miller

Cambridge: Polity Press (2020), 160 pp.

"Contrary to widespread claims, consumer electronics and other digital technologies are made in ways that cause some of the worst environmental disasters of our time - conflict-minerals extraction, fatal and life-threatening occupational hazards, toxic pollution of ecosystems, rising energy consumpt ... more

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The Global E-waste Monitor 2020: Quantities, Flows, and the Circular Economy Potential

Vanessa Forti, Cornelis Peter Baldé, Ruediger Kuehr, Garam Bel

United Nations University (UNU); United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR); International Solid Waste Association (ISWA); ITU (2020), 119 pp.

"Higher levels of disposable incomes, growing urbanization and mobility, and further industrialization in some parts of the world are leading to growing amounts of EEE. On average, the total weight (excluding photovoltaic panels) of global EEE consumption increases annually by 2.5 million metric ton ... s (Mt). After its use, EEE is disposed of, generating a waste stream that contains hazardous and valuable materials. This waste stream is referred to as e-waste, or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), a term used mainly in Europe. This monitor provides the most comprehensive update of global e-waste statistics. In 2019, the world generated a striking 53.6 Mt of e-waste, an average of 7.3 kg per capita. The global generation of e-waste grew by 9.2 Mt since 2014 and is projected to grow to 74.7 Mt by 2030 – almost doubling in only 16 years. The growing amount of e-waste is mainly fueled by higher consumption rates of EEE, short life cycles, and few repair options. Asia generated the highest quantity of e-waste in 2019 at 24.9 Mt, followed by the Americas (13.1 Mt) and Europe (12 Mt), while Africa and Oceania generated 2.9 Mt and 0.7 Mt, respectively. Europe ranked first worldwide in terms of e-waste generation per capita, with 16.2 kg per capita. Oceania was second (16.1 kg per capita), followed by the Americas (13.3 kg per capita), while Asia and Africa generated just 5.6 and 2.5 kg per capita, respectively. In 2019, the formal documented collection and recycling was 9.3 Mt, thus 17.4% compared to e-waste generated. It grew with 1.8 Mt since 2014, an annual growth of almost 0.4 Mt. However, the total e-waste generation increased by 9.2 Mt, with an annual growth of almost 2 Mt. Thus the recycling activities are not keeping pace with the global growth of e-waste. The statistics show that in 2019, the continent with the highest collection and recycling rate was Europe with 42.5%, Asia ranked second at 11.7%, the Americas and Oceania were similar at 9.4% and 8.8%, respectively, and Africa had the lowest rate at 0.9%. The fate of 82.6% (44.3 Mt) of e-waste generated in 2019 is uncertain, and its whereabouts and the environmental impact varies across the different regions." (Executive summary, pages 13-14) more