ABSTRACT
The third chapter is the first of two major analytical chapters. It comprises an analysis of the interfaces between digitalization and environmental aspects. In many quarters, great hopes are being pinned on digitalization as the answer to environmental problems. The chapter focuses on nine such aspects entailing positive and negative effects of digitalization on the environment. First, the material basis and the ecological footprints of ICT devices and infrastructure components are discussed. Second, we show that digitalization can help to make the transition to a renewable energy system. It makes the case that the environmental and social opportunities of a decentralized, democratic energy system cannot be unlocked without the help of digitalization. Third, the chapter investigates the extent to which digital tools facilitate an increase in the share of sustainable consumption, or whether digitalization boosts already high levels of consumption through personalized advertising and omnipresent shopping opportunities. The fourth aspect concerns transportation. It is argued that increasing transport is itself only made possible by digitalization and that it could swell enormously with the advent of driverless private cars. At the same time, digitalization of vehicle sharing and public transport could have great potential for environmentally sound transformation of the transport system. Fifth, regarding industrial production, digitalization underpins the concept of “Industry 4.0”, i.e., the industrial internet of things. On the one hand, this offers opportunities for boosting material and energy efficiency. On the other hand, Industry 4.0 could lead to increasing production and rebound effects and thus wipe out environmental benefits. In sum, digitalization has great environmental opportunities, but also significant risks. The challenge ahead is to steer the digital revolution in an environmentally sustainable direction.
