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Work item:
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L.SDT
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Subject/title:
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Definition of Sustainable Digital Transformation
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Status:
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Under study [Issued from previous study period]
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Approval process:
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AAP
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Type of work item:
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Recommendation
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Version:
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New
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Equivalent number:
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-
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Timing:
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2025 (Medium priority)
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Liaison:
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-
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Supporting members:
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Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros de Telecomunicación (COIT) (Spain); Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd (China); Telecom Italia; Uganda Communications Commission; Kenya
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Summary:
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Digital transformation has been the main engine for innovation across sectors and is playing a key role in enabling countries and cities to tackle persistent global challenges, such as climate change, sustainability, and inequality. The importance of digital transformation is further amplified by it being the main component for delivering a strong response to the global pandemic, from enabling tracking of cases to delivering critical health information to the public.
This calls into question the environmental cost of this acceleration of digital transformation. As more digital infrastructure (e.g., data centers), devices and equipment are being manufactured and deployed, their material and energy demand and the associated carbon footprints are also increasing in parallel. Without significant intervention, this acceleration will not only derail the global progress on sustainable development but also amplify recurring global challenges including biodiversity loss, widening inequality, human rights to development, food, security, and life and more.
Therefore, there is an urgent to need to take the initiative and define the meaning of a sustainable digital transformation. This definition will be the foundation for forging an environmentally conscious and sustainable pattern of digital transformation, one that will benefit all global stakeholders in line with the United Nations Secretary-General's Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the ITU Connect 2030 Agenda.
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Comment:
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-
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Reference(s):
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Historic references:
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Contact(s):
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| ITU-T A.5 justification(s): |
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First registration in the WP:
2021-06-03 12:31:26
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Last update:
2024-07-03 16:22:49
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