DigitalRessourcen II: Exploring Digitization's Environmental Impact
The Umweltbundesamt and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) have funded a research project, DigitalRessourcen, under the Ressortforschungsplan (ReFoPlan). The project aims to understand the environmental impact of digitization and explore efficient development paths.
Phase I (2020-2023) of the project analyzed the resource intensity and greenhouse gas emissions of the digital transformation on micro and macro levels. It found that while digitization creates new products and services, it also increases demand for energy and natural resources like copper, plastics, rare metals, and rare earths, contributing to emissions. The findings were detailed in a fact sheet and technical brochure.
Phase II, DigitalRessourcen II (2025-2027), will build on these findings. It will integrate stakeholders including students, academic staff, and practice partners in cooperation projects. Additional case studies, including AI, will be conducted, and the meso level will be analyzed. The project will also calculate macro- or mesoeconomic data for certain demand fields and sectors. Research questions include the extent of digitization's impact on resource demand, population consumption behavior, global digital services' environmental operations, and resource-efficient development paths.
The DigitalRessourcen II project, funded by the Umweltbundesamt and BMUKN, will continue to explore the environmental impact of digitization. By integrating stakeholders and conducting further case studies, the project aims to provide insights into efficient development paths for the digital age.
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