Digital Transformation for More Sustainability:

One factor that the study clearly shows: Digital infrastructures alongside digital technologies and services offer enormous potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – that is, if they are used consistently in the right domains. In urban areas, connected mobility and holistic smart city concepts are solution scenarios for the increasing level of emissions brought about by growing urbanisation. In rural areas, smart farming solutions and hybrid working environments are particularly instrumental in reducing CO₂ emissions.

The German industry also has a specific responsibility in shaping the transformation of an ecologically sustainable economy. Digital twins, augmented reality and Internet of Things (IoT) applications are the key technologies for leveraging potential for more CO₂ savings in the industry sector.

As the calculations of the ADL Sustainability Model show, annual emissions in Germany can be reduced by an average of 4.3 % in the industry sector on the strength of digital levers, while a 4.1 % reduction in urban habitats (cities) and 4.6 % in rural areas (non-urban habitats + farming) is also possible.

By 2050, it is anticipated that emissions savings of 163 megatonnes of CO₂ will be achieved through the consistent use of digital levers at the industry, urban and rural levels. This equates to around 20 % of the total emissions forecast for Germany. If these are supplemented by innovative technologies in the levels of data storage and transmission, CO₂ emissions could even be reduced by 30 % by 2050.

In the study, you can find further results on the potential CO₂ savings that the various sectors can achieve through digitalisation. The complete study is available for download as a PDF.