'National Coalition for Sustainable Digitization' calls on the government to take an integrated approach to sustainable digitization
- National approach should make the Netherlands an international leader in sustainable digitalisation
- New coalition wants long-term vision and short-term action to digitize more sustainably
- An integrated approach must provide a solution for fragmented government policy at the interface of the two major transitions of digitization and sustainability.
Today, the ' National Coalition for Sustainable Digitization ' (NCDD) is presenting a manifesto to Minister Adriaansens (EZK) that encourages the creation of an integrated approach to sustainable digitization. By developing and applying digital technologies and data, with a view to integrating digital infrastructure and combating climate change, other negative environmental effects and impact on raw materials, the Netherlands must become an international sustainable digital leader. To this end, the coalition of more than 70 organizations wants to capitalize on existing opportunities, solve bottlenecks and develop a roadmap together with the government, the business community, knowledge institutions and residents. For example, the transition to a sustainable digital infrastructure must be accelerated and the ecological footprint of our digital system must be minimised.
The new coalition stems from the Amsterdam Economic Board initiative 'LEAP' . Together with ECP | Platform for the Information Society and the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) are continuing to work in public-private partnership on the foundations of the Netherlands as an international sustainable digital leader.
“It is good that various parties in the digital sector have taken the initiative to make digitization and sustainability go hand in hand. We want to use the opportunities of digitization for our society and economy, but in a responsible manner. That is why it is important to focus on this.”, says Minister Adriaansens of Economic Affairs and Climate.
Bottlenecks and recommendations in sustainable digitalisation
The coalition identifies six bottlenecks and recommends solutions. These should form the basis for a 'Sustainable Digitization Roadmap'. For example, there is currently incoherent and fragmented government policy, a lack of figures for integrated management, inadequate legislation, fragmented knowledge development and innovation, and a lack of a fair European playing field.
To solve these bottlenecks, the coalition makes recommendations:
- Unambiguous ownership in the form of one coordinating ministry
- Focus more on data to gain insight in order to make the optimal assessments at the interface of digitization and sustainability
- Adjustment of (existing) (transition) legislation is necessary to ensure that sustainable choices are made as a matter of course
- A knowledge offensive that provides tools, knowledge and people
- Will access to innovation have to become more accessible, with a focus on integration of the energy system and digital system, with special attention to software, hardware and data processing?
- The Netherlands will also have to become even more visible in the European conversation about sustainable digitalisation.
“The clock is ticking. Digitization is an essential part of sustainability and digitization must also be sustainable. Our coalition knows better than anyone what opportunities there are, but also what bottlenecks we need to solve. We can't do that without this government. It is time for collective decisiveness,” says Eske van Egerschot-Montoya Martinez, Quartermaster of the National Coalition for Sustainable Digitization.
Making digitization more sustainable is essential to maintain the leading position in the Netherlands
Digitization plays an important role in developing economic resilience and resilience. Now and in the future. In addition, it is a key to accelerating economic and ecological sustainability. While the Netherlands currently occupies fourth position in the EU leading group, making digitization more sustainable should secure and further expand this position for the future.
“The digital sector has been very active and successful in recent years on the theme of sustainability. We have shown major efficiency improvements in energy and raw materials. To continue to do so in the future, we must step up a gear and work together with the entire chain. The new coalition will help us with that,” says Lotte de Bruijn, director of NLdigital.
About the NCDD
The NCDD (National Coalition for Sustainable Digitization) originates from the Amsterdam Economic Board initiative 'LEAP' . Together with ECP | Platform for the Information Society and the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA), in a public-private coalition of more than 70 organizations from government, industry, knowledge institutions and residents, they are working on the foundations of the Netherlands as an international sustainable digital leader.