In recent years policy makers in the European Union and beyond have concentrated on the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions caused by – among other sectors – industries, power plants or cars. Despite this development, another evolution imposes challenges on society and especially environmental policy: the process of digitalisation. The increasing number of digital devices and the rising relevance of these products and their use challenge the recycling and reuse infrastructure. As the recourses used for digital devices are scarce, this development imposes challenges for policy makers, producers and consumers.
The proposed paper aims at putting this process in an environmental policy context and thus intends to underline the relevance of the digitalisation for environmental politics.
A variety of policies have been implemented to protect the environment. Many of these policies have focussed a production side. The limitation of emissions, the regulation of products or the promotion of alternative energy sources relates to the design and manufacturing of goods and services. But despite these efforts, there are still products that are not environmental friendly or sustainable. Hence, the choices made by consumers are relevant aspects of the promotion of environmental protection and sustainability. This holistic approach is widely accepted and incorporated in some policies. The European Commission recently has focussed on this approach with its Circular Economy Agenda and aimed at the consumption side with Sustainable Consumption and Production Agenda (SCP). But still, political targeting of consumption remains important in regard to sustainability goals. Which role is assigned to the consumption side within EU’s environmental policy? Furthermore, how far reaching are these policies, especially when the relevance of the digital sector is taken into account?
The proposed contribution firstly takes stock of the policies and measurements conducted within the EU to promote sustainable consumption.
Secondly, these regulations are put into the context of the process of digitalisation and the policy goals linked to it, like economic growth. Here, a conflict of policy preferences is assumed between the promotion of growth in the digital sector on the one hand and environmental protection and sustainability goals on the other hand. The contribution’s central question is: What role is assigned to consumption and consumption regulation within the above described policy environment?
Empirically, the contribution focuses on the EU policies within the Single Market for Green Products Agenda (successor of SCP Program) and the Digital Agenda for Europe initiative. Methodically, a policy analysis approach is used to illustrate (conflicting) goals within EU’s policy regarding the promotion of sustainable consumption and the fostering of digitalisation processes.
Thus, the contribution tries to link the discussion of increasing importance of consumption for environmental protection to actual policy.
