In recent years, the development of digital technology has been increasingly embraced by government agencies in an effort to improve their operations and become more transparent with the public.
The environmental crisis and the worldwide drive towards sustainability are two of the most discussed topics on both a local and global level at the moment.
However, governments have often been slow to respond to these problems with sufficient measures and political will to facilitate positive change on this scale.
Why?
Because many feel like they can only focus on going digital or on sustainability, according to research.
Moreover, the 2020 Sustainability Leaders survey from GlobeScan concluded that governments lacked leadership on sustainable development.
In this article, we’ll look at how digital technologies have the power to facilitate government support for sustainability and what it means in practice.
We’ll also look at some examples of how digital tools are being used for good to support government projects that aim to make their citizens more environmentally conscious.
Digital sustainability harnesses the tools of digital transformation!
New technologies like cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and virtual reality allow organizations to operate more effectively and efficiently.
Better yet, digital tools often allow people and companies to perform tasks that would have been impossible only a decade ago.
Thanks to the increased connectivity, utility companies are already making smarter decisions about energy distribution.
While new technologies will certainly not solve all environmental impact and resource consumption problems, but they have a clear ability to improve efficiency.
And this is exactly what’s needed if we are going to achieve true progress towards sustainability.
However, if we want sustainability, the onus is on governments to take the lead.
Governments need to invest in technology and data!
Technology is a key enabler of progress towards a more sustainable world. It allows citizens, civil society, and government to monitor, track and report on their impact on society and the environment.
Governments will have an essential role in promoting technology innovation in both energy efficiency and renewable energy – from research funding policy setting through to public procurement.
In fact, those cities worldwide that embrace change will be more attractive for investment and business opportunities than those that don’t.
And let’s not forget that many of today’s clean technologies were once new and experimental—what we see as visionary today might one day seem normal.
To promote environmental sustainability through information technology and data will require fundamental changes in political processes and attitudes.
Still, ultimately, greater efficiency in decision-making about natural resources is likely to deliver benefits that far outweigh any associated costs.
Digital government can help to create a sustainable government!
The way governments traditionally function are very far from sustainable.
Normally, government projects take years, if not decades, to complete and are very expensive. In contrast with that, digital government is fast and cost-effective.
And the COVID19 pandemic has accelerated the advent of truly digital governments.
Some of the main areas where governments are using technology to solve the sustainability problem are:
1. In cities
Technology can help cities better manage resources by providing up-to-date information on things like traffic patterns or city facilities.
In this sense, it can help public authorities deploy smart streetlights to cut energy consumption, for example.
After all, digital technology isn’t just about electronic devices – it’s about making our cities smarter.
2. To reduce carbon footprints
Innovations like paperless e-voting and online platforms where citizens can file taxes and/or communicate with officials are great ways to reduce the carbon footprint.
Moreover, governments can rely more on cloud computing to reduce their own carbon emissions.
3. To monitor ecosystems
Mobile apps and websites are increasingly being used by government agencies around the world.
They use social media and extensive data analysis to monitor environmental quality in real-time, just like earth observation projects in Italy that support forest protection.
Conclusion
The rapid technological advancements of recent years have affected every aspect of our lives.
However, to truly contribute to sustainability goals – whether in intelligent cities or elsewhere – we need effective governance.
Only when policies that promote social inclusion, equality and respect for all are enacted can we begin to think about how technology might help us achieve those goals more quickly.
Sources:
https://wwps.microsoft.com/whitepaper/sustainability
https://www.digitalsme.eu/what-is-sustainable-digitalisation/
