Fighting climate change with emerging technologies – for good or ill? – Flash 13 2019

20 June 2019 | 16:00-16:30 | EVEREST 1 & 2
Consolidated programme 2019 overview

Session teaser

Can internet-dependent technologies provide an answer to rising alarm about the degradation of both the physical and online environment, or are they part of the problem?

Session description

The question for this flash session is twofold:

1. Is the next generation of internet-dependent technologies providing technologically viable and sustainable responses to issues arising from global environmental degradation, or are they actually adding to these problems?
2. As municipalities invest in digital – smart – city policies that depend on data-driven, and energy-intensive infrastructures and platforms is adequate attention being paid to both human rights compliance and environmental sustainability in the design and roll-out of these systems?

The work has only just begun to unpack both the positive and the negative relationships between R&D into the latest generation of digital and networked technologies (CCTV, Wifi tracking, 5G, IoT, AI), the long-term prospects for ‘Green City’ initiatives and how our increasing dependence on internet access may actually contribute to the symptoms of Climate Change (rising sea-levels, inner-city pollution, the degradation of the online environment) through inadequate human rights compliance.

The session continues conversations from the 2018 Internet Governance Forum meeting in Paris with the Internet Rights and Principles Coalition, and representatives from the Digital Cities Coalition (Amsterdam, Barcelona, New York). Join us for 30 minutes, 16.00-16.30 on Day 2 of EuroDIG for an open-mic session, with invited speakers.

Further reading

• School Strike 4 Climate Change
• Charter of Human Rights and Principles for the Internet
• Sustainable Futures: The Internet, Human Rights, and Environmental Issues – IGF 2018 – Day 1 – Salle XII: DC Internet Rights and Principles Meeting,
• Digital Cities Coalition – Cities for Digital Rights Declaration
• The Basel Convention: Technical Guidelines on Transboundary Movements of Electrical and Electronic Waste

People

Michael Oghia provided opening remarks. Thirty-five people joined the session including representatives from the Dutch and Finnish governments, and other stakeholders.

All ages, strong views and clear arguments welcome.