On Thursday 17 December, the Environment Ministers of the EU-27 adopted EU Council conclusions on ‘Digitisation for the benefit of the Environment’ to reconcile the green and digital transition of the EU (see EUROPE 12620/21).
“It is important that we, as Ministers of the Environment, get involved in digital issues. We are at a crossroads. Digital innovation must be promoted for a sustainable future”, said German Minister Svenja Schulze.
These conclusions underline the potential of the dual transition for the creation of new green and digital jobs needed for economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic. They also stress that the digital transition should be fair and inclusive and that it should “leave no one behind”, according to the UN watchword.
The EU Council encourages the Commission to develop an ambitious policy programme for the use of digital solutions in order to achieve the ‘zero pollution’ ambition.
It also invites the Commission to propose regulatory or non-regulatory measures to reduce the environmental footprint of data centres and communication networks and to present an action plan by the end of 2021 on how to reduce the amount of ICT products going to landfill by 2025.
“We welcome the link between these two priorities. The digital and green transition can be the engine of sustainable industrial growth”, commented Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)