Key Takeaways
- The European Green Digital Coalition (EGDC) is a collection of tech companies committed to a greener future through digital transformation.
- The EGDC aims to develop and deploy green digital solutions, methods to measure their impact, and guidelines for the green digital transformation of various sectors.
- Membership is open to interested companies fulfilling the EGDC criteria, with a high-level event planned for 2022.
The European Green Digital Coalition: Championing Green Digital Transformation
Formed in 2021, the European Green Digital Coalition (EGDC) brings together the CEOs of 26 information and communication technology (ICT) companies to support the Green and Digital Transformation of the European Union. Their commitment to a greener future spans a variety of sectors, aiming to maximize the benefits of digitalization while mitigating its environmental impact.
Founding Principles and Mission
The EGDC, rather than being a ‘green pledge of the ICT sector’, functions as an active facilitator of sustainable and circular transitions across industries. By defining scientific methods to estimate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by specific ICT solutions in different sectors, the Coalition accelerates the green digital transformation of sectors such as energy, transport, agriculture, and construction.
Driving Sustainability through Digitalisation
The primary aim of the EGDC is to achieve net positive impacts through energy and material efficient digital solutions. They hope to develop methods and tools to measure these impacts, in collaboration with NGOs and expert organisations. Furthermore, they strive to co-create recommendations for the green digital transformation of sectors to benefit the environment, society, and economy.
Increased Membership and Strategic Partnerships
Four new members, Google, KPN, Siemens, and Uber, joined the EGDC ahead of the Digital Assembly in June 2021, with several others following suit. Since January 2022, the European Parliament Pilot project – European Green Digital Coalition supports the Coalition and its work. The project comprises a Consortium of leading associations and promotes the participation of experts from academia and NGOs.
Membership Criteria and Commitments
The EGDC membership criteria revolve around active participation and clear commitment towards the actions of the Declaration. This requires a pledge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, achieving climate neutrality by 2040, and making available staff and resources to work on methodologies and standards together with relevant expert organisations and stakeholders.
The Role of ICT in Green Digital Transformation
Information and communication technologies (ICT) offer an effective pathway towards a green digital transformation. Green digital solutions, those that contribute positively to environmental & climate targets, can help accelerate the transition to a circular economy, optimising the use of natural resources, enabling new sustainable business models, and supporting the resilience of our economy.
The Green Digital Twin Transition
EGDC’s plans to enhance cross-sectoral dialogues will be instrumental in developing guidelines for the deployment of green digital solutions across sectors like energy, transport, manufacturing, agri-food, and the building sector. Consistent and comparable assessment methods would pave the way for private and public investors to participate more actively in the green digital transformation.
The European Green Digital Coalition (EGDC) represents a significant move towards a sustainable and digitally advanced future in the EU. Through its commitment to developing greener ICT solutions, the Coalition is charting a clear path towards achieving EU’s environmental and digitalisation goals. As the EGDC continues to expand its membership and influence, the green digital transformation of the EU is set to be a major force in the years ahead.
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