A new research program to link environmental protection and computer world. The goal is, less climate gas release.

With artificial intelligence could be fishing illegally, the German research hastened the end of the boats for a better photo: Eric Baradat/afp

BERLIN taz | In the week after the Madrid-shock of an internationally incapacitated climate policy are identified, to give the fight against climate change with a positive spin. In the Federal Ministry of education and research (BMBF) has introduced a new 100 million Euro programme of action for digitization and sustainability, during a conference of environmental and IT experts reflected on the next steps in "our common digital future".

by The Scientific Advisory Board of the German Federal government for global environmental changes (WBGU) together with the Berliner wheat tree Institute (WI) for the networked society focused meeting "shaping the future: Digital and sustainable way" was held with 260 participants looking back on the groundbreaking report, which was submitted to the Advisory Board this spring. In the first part of the two currently running major transformations were meant to be in nature and in the digital world – and of course shown in a "digitized sustainability". The 500-page study was presented in the summer, also at the level of the UN sustainability conference in New York.

digitisation offers numerous opportunities for sustainable development and a "innovative Toolbox for the achievement of the sustainability goals," ready said of the outgoing WBGU-chair Dirk Messner, who will be leading starting in January, the Federal environment Agency (UBA). At the same time, the risk of negative Trends, such as rising CO2 emissions, or the threat to informational self-existed to strengthen provision by more digitalization, warns of the WBGU.

even today, digital technologies are by their energy consumption for 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, as much as the air traffic. This proportion could double, with current rates of increase of the energy consumption of a year, 9 percent up to the year 2025. Against this Trend, the new BMBF wants to tackle program.

At the same time, it'll make the digitization possible against threats to the environment in a new way, noticed the sea researcher Antje Boetius, head of the Alfred-Wegner-Institute of the Helmholtz Association in Bremerhaven. So could be found from the data of satellite Monitoring using artificial intelligence, whether a ship in a marine protected area operates illegal fishing: "A fishing vessel has a slower pace than a normal driving".

More than ever, it is but also for natural scientists is necessary to have the social impact of digital techniques in the view, noted Uwe schneidewind from the Wuppertal Institute for climate environment energy as a member of the Advisory Council. If the sensor-based environmental Monitoring will also be extended to the people, emerging a other society.

Digital technologies are for 4 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for

The connection to a "Digital Sustainability made in Germany" might even be a new Slogan, said Daniela Jacob, Director of the Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), and co-author of the recent world climate report by the IPCC.

The computer scientist, Ina Schieferdecker, referring to a few months ago at the Berlin Fraunhofer FOKUS Institute had the WBGU belonged, in her new function as head of division at the BMBF to the fact that it is already working. "Our house has started a green ICT program," said Schieferdecker. In the next three years, four Times used as much as in the past, for the study of resource-saving solutions.

In the new action plan ", of Course.Digital.Sustainability“, the BMBF state Secretary Thomas Rachel, at the conference introduced, for the first time knocked all the projects of the Ministry on their digital sustainability, bundled, and partially further developed.

There is also the risks of digitization would have to be named Rachel. "So no longer has to be limited, for example, your 'power hungry' urgent – more digitisation means climate change". Here is the new program wanted to raise "a strong character".

The action plan covers the three major areas of education, research and application. The education for sustainable development (ESD) should be strengthened. Highlight was the Unesco conference on this theme in the summer of 2020 in Berlin. In the vocational education and training and the National training strategy in the field of adult education more sustainability should be common knowledge. In the field of safety technology of 2021 will launch the research initiative on "resilience of digital systems", to improve the resilience of digital infrastructures against faults and attacks.

In the same year, a new "research programme for interactive technologies," to increase user-friendliness. The research should start from the autumn of 2020, the promotion of the first consortia of National research data structure (NFDI), which should enable a better and wider use of research projects collected data. A strong impetus is there to be in the area of battery research. In addition to the research factory in Münster for car battery cells, the BMBF wants to promote with the "Initiative of battery-2020" in the coming year, the development of rechargeable electrochemical energy storage along the entire value-added chain.

In the area of social innovation is started to make shape in 2020, the funding programme "digitisation of social – ecological-economy and society through the digitisation sustainable". For the municipalities, the funding measure "of water is placed-extreme events". For 2021, an additional funding initiative to increase energy and resource efficiency, and sustainable economies in production is planned.

Much specific research is on the way. But is it the right thing to do, and if so, how quickly you apply? In the conference, doubts were sometimes loud. "The technical possibilities are available, but the rules are missing, in order to achieve a de facto improvement of the Environment", complained the sea researcher Antje Boetius, which deals with the problems of Transfers, but also in the high-tech Forum of the Federal government.

Dirk Messner stated that there is still too little ecological knowledge of the facts in the decision-making level of the policy is available. According to the Motto "You cannot govern what you don't understand" need a better "Governance" within the political system. Greeting to Madrid.

this interface could implement the Berlin wheat tree Institute, which deals with the interactions of the Internet and society scientifically, new accents. Weizenbaum Deputy Director Sascha Friesike took place in the conference symbolically the "baton" for the research by the WBGU initiated topics. His Institute was designed to build bridges, said Frisike: "The digitisation of sustainability is such a bridge".