Our Common Digital Future

WBGU has drafted a charter for a sustainable digital age and following a public consultation process a revised version has been published (version dated 14 August 2020).

Digitalization has been accompanied by ever increasing energy and resource consumption, as well as global production and consumption patterns that place an even greater burden on ecosystems. Technical innovation surges do not automatically translate into sustainability transformations, but must be closely coupled with sustainability guidelines and policies.

Up to now, hopes that digitalization would make a contribution to achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda has not materialized. Only if digital change and Sustainability are constructively interlinked can we make progress with environmental protection, climate-change mitigation and human development.