Could Unsustainable Electronics Support Sustainability?

Nicolas Moreau, Thibault Pirson, Grégoire Le Brun, Thibault Delhaye, Georgiana Sandu, Antoine Paris, David Bol and Jean-Pierre Raskin
Additional contact information
Nicolas Moreau: IMCN/NAPS, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Thibault Pirson: ICTEAM/ELEN, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Grégoire Le Brun: ICTEAM/ELEN, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Thibault Delhaye: ICTEAM/ELEN, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Georgiana Sandu: ICTEAM/ELEN, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Antoine Paris: ICTEAM/ELEN, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
David Bol: ICTEAM/ELEN, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Jean-Pierre Raskin: ICTEAM/ELEN, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-7

Abstract: Information and communication technologies are often considered by policymakers, industrial stakeholders and scientists as a key lever in the run towards sustainability, since they should ease energy efficiency and dematerialization. In this opinion article, nurtured by the inputs of a broad panel of experts, we challenge this widely spread view by highlighting the detrimental social and environmental footprints caused by digital technologies. We further take a critical look on the ways innovation is conducted nowadays, i.e., with an almost exclusive focus on performance and few considerations for externalities. This leads us to call for academic teaching programs advocating for a holistic approach, for new business models, and for ambitious political decisions able to drive a paradigm shift in the mainstream agenda of electronics innovation and digital transition that shall significantly contribute to the well-being of everyone, everywhere, without compromising future generations. We conclude that digital technologies cannot support long-term sustainability if their only purpose remains the optimization of the current system.

Keywords: sustainability; electronics; environmental footprint; social responsibility; life cycle assessment (LCA); circular economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:12:p:6541-:d:571133

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