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The Connected Europe initiative has shown how much popular support there is for a healthier, greener and more digital society. Ben Wreschner (chief economist, Vodafone) and Dharmendra Kanani (director Asia, peace, security & defence, digital and chief spokesperson, Friends of Europe) explain how citizen engagement will be crucial for the green and digital transitions.
The recently launched Conference on the Future of Europe has taken an innovative approach, as it looks for ways to reform the European Union’s policies and institutions. It offers a digital platform for people to send in ideas and engage in discussions, encouraging insight and debate across the EU.
This digital engagement approach mirrors a joint initiative between Vodafone and Friends of Europe that has been running for the last six months. Connected Europe gathers viewpoints from citizens, industry and policymakers and uses a collaborative approach to generate policy recommendations, with an emphasis on practical solutions to the challenges we face. Citizen perspectives are critical for Connected Europe: their hopes and concerns help guide the discussions.
As the Conference kicks off, here are some suggestions we can offer on how to foster debate and generate useful ideas for a greener, more digital society.
Leave no one behind
Citizens engaged in the Connected Europe discussions see the benefits of technology. But they reminded us that technology cannot be a solution on its own. We need to make sure that people can access the technology available to them. This means building digital skills from the school to the workplace and beyond so that there are opportunities for lifelong learning. It ensures that no-one is left behind.
Citizens are understandably concerned about digital exclusion, particularly when it comes to the elderly, those with disabilities and people living in remote areas. Ensuring access for all is incredibly important. Governments need to work with businesses to address the digital divide and deliver connectivity to everyone, young or old, urban or rural.
There was also a recognition, sometimes lost in the silos of policymaking, that digital transformation is an enabler of many other important goals. For example, digitalisation can help mitigate climate change and support sustainability, it can help to improve health, strengthen the economy and enhance social justice. It can even strengthen the EU’s position in the world, by making the EU more competitive – while defending European democracy.
Make it fair
In our Green Europe focus groups, around 150 European citizens from 16 countries were asked for their views. One of the biggest concerns raised when it comes to the green transition is fairness. There is a major concern that the burden might fall unfairly on consumers, rather than governments and industry.
However, the whole point of digital enablement for a green transition is that it helps achieve sustainability goals without letting the burden fall unfairly on any single group. Both the green and digital transitions are aimed at finding opportunities for everyone so that the changes result in benefits all around.
Digital innovations, such as smart meters and LED streetlights connected to a central management system, can dramatically reduce energy consumption. Internet of Things (IoT) sensors on farms can measure humidity and soil health so that irrigation and fertiliser use are much more efficient. Neither of these innovations results in any one group losing out. They are genuine win-wins for citizens, consumers, industry and governments, as long as we all take our own emissions seriously and tackle them appropriately.
Clarity
The Connected Europe focus groups showed how people sometimes struggle to interpret green credentials. Most people want to do the right thing when it comes to sustainability, but when it comes to day-to-day decisions, it is not always clear what the environment-friendly option is. The lack of EU-wide standards and benchmarks means consumers may struggle to make informed green choices.
One solution would be to create a standardised framework that works in line with the EU’s sustainability principles. It could show not only the environmental impact of a product or service but also its digital credentials. One suggestion already emerging from the Connected Europe discussions is for the EU to use processes already underway to build a ‘Digital Opportunity Assessment’ to sit alongside assessments of green impact.
Another option is the digital product passport mentioned in the EU Ministerial Declaration on a Green and Digital Transformation. Tracking and tracing products and materials would improve consumer empowerment and sustainable choices through information and awareness. For the passports to succeed, a strong pan-European approach is needed alongside digital logistics tools that can track products through the whole supply chain.
Accountability
Closely linked to clarity is accountability. Citizen concerns around fairness, trust and convenience show that we need to prove that we do what we promise to do. But how do we keep ourselves accountable when it comes to digital for green and delivering the twin digital and green transition?
The Connected Europe discussions showed how important it is to work across sectors and develop common standards. One solution could be to use the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which monitors Europe’s overall digital performance and tracks Member State progress on digital competitiveness. DESI could be tweaked to include sustainability. Recovery funds allocation and spend could be effectively monitored and policy reforms measured against the DESI. Digital as multiplier can help Member States to deliver on the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) commitment of at least 37% of national plans expenditure going to green projects.
The argument for such accountability is also about showing value for money: there are strong economic benefits to these changes. According to a Deloitte report, EU GDP could rise by 7.2% if recovery packages focus on digital and green investments and all member states reach a score of 90 on the DESI by 2027.
Working together
Connected Europe is a truly collaborative initiative, involving citizens, industry, policymakers and academics. This approach needs to be replicated on a wider scale if we are to successfully navigate the green and digital transitions. Citizen views and industry expertise must be brought together with decision-makers who can support and facilitate the right framework to enable a collaborative partnership to function effectively.
There is clear evidence that with the right framework, policy reforms, and the effective use of EU reconstruction funds, we can do more to invest in the right area. We can build a healthier and more sustainable society, empowering citizens and businesses to seize the potential of the digital transformation. We can build a green, digital and more resilient Europe.
The Connected Europe initiative continues to gather views and input to formulate the recommendations and policy asks that will build a more successful, greener and resilient Europe. A full report will be published later in the year. To get involved or to find out more about Connected Europe, click here.
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