IGF 2025 Day 0 Event #249 Sustainable Digital growth - Net Negative, Net Zero or Net Positive

    Norwegian Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance and Norwegian Communications Authority

    Speakers

    TBD

    Onsite Moderator
    TBD
    Online Moderator
    TBD
    Rapporteur
    TBD
    SDGs

    7. Affordable and Clean Energy
    9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
    10. Reduced Inequalities
    12. Responsible Production and Consumption
    13. Climate Action
    17. Partnerships for the Goals


    Targets: Digital infrastructure and services are rapidly reshaping our societies, economies, and institutions. From data centres to mobile networks, these systems enable AI, cloud computing, and public digital services. While widely recognized as key enablers of innovation and sustainability, their growing environmental footprint—including rising energy consumption, material extraction, and digital waste—demands a more thoughtful and responsible approach, especially if we are to adhere to the SDGs.

    Format

    Theater

    Keynote presentations followed by panelist discussion on stage

    Duration (minutes)
    90
    Description

    Digital infrastructure and services are rapidly reshaping our societies, economies, and institutions. From data centres to mobile networks, these systems enable AI, cloud computing, and public digital services. While widely recognized as key enablers of innovation and sustainability, their growing environmental footprint—including rising energy consumption, material extraction, and digital waste —demands a more thoughtful and responsible approach. This session frames and explores the emerging concept of net digital sustainability—the idea that digitalization should not only reduce harm but actively deliver net-positive environmental and societal outcomes. Moving beyond narrow efficiency metrics, it calls for a more holistic rethinking of how we define, measure, and govern for a truly sustainable digital transformation.