Digital Sustainability Leveraging Digital Technology to Combat Climate Change

Digitalisation and environmental sustainability are two of the megatrends impacting industry and society. This open access Pivot is a timely exploration of some of the challenges and prospects related to digital sustainability from two main perspectives: how digital technologies can be used and maintained in a way that is environmentally sustainable over the long term (greening of digital technologies), and how digital technologies can be used to address climate change and improve environmental and sustainability outcomes (greening by digital technologies). The chapters included in this book are designed to provide some key definitions and concepts related to digital sustainability and its evolution, and more detailed insights on some of the key priority areas outlined in the European Green Deal, namely energy, mobility, buildings, food and the circular economy. A critical review of these topics will summarise and present different perspectives that challenge old assumptions and highlight emerging trends and possibilities for digital sustainability. Industry and society face significant challenges in the twin transition to digital and green transformation, not least of which is the need to balance investment in digital technologies with environmental sustainability. This open-access book can serve as a primer for scholars, policymakers, and enterprise decision-makers, providing insights on navigating innovation ecosystems to support both green and digital objectives.

Chapter 1 –  Digital Sustainability.- Chapter 2 – Green IT: The evolution of environmental concerns within ICT policy, research and practice.- Chapter 3 – Interacting digital and sustainability transformation through artificial intelligence.- Chapter 4 –  Digital transformation and AI in energy systems.- Chapter 5 – From concrete jungles to smart cities and digital towns.- Chapter 6 – Smart farming technologies and sustainability.- Chapter 7 – Digital technologies for sustainable product management in circular economy.

Theo Lynn is Full Professor of Digital at DCU Business School, Ireland. He is Series Editor on the Palgrave Studies in Digital Business & Enabling Technologies. 

Pierangelo Rosati is Associate Professor of Digital Business & Society at the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway, Ireland and is Series Editor on the Palgrave Studies in Digital Business & Enabling Technologies.

David Kreps is Associate Professor in Digital Business & Society at the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway, Ireland.

Kieran Conboy is Professor in Business Information Systems at the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway, Ireland.