Systems thinking and efficiency under emissions constraints: Addressing rebound effects in digital innovation and policy

Kelly Widdicks; Federica Lucivero; Gabrielle Samuel; Lucas Somavilla Croxatto; Marcia Tavares Smith; Carolyn Ten Holter; Mike Berners-Lee; Gordon S. Blair; Marina Jirotka; Bran Knowles; Steven Sorrell; Miriam Börjesson Rivera; Caroline Cook; Vlad C. Coroamă; Timothy J. Foxon; Jeffrey Hardy; Lorenz M. Hilty; Simon Hinterholzer; Birgit Penzenstadler

doi:10.1016/j.patter.2023.100679

Systems thinking and efficiency under emissions constraints: Addressing rebound effects in digital innovation and policy

Kelly Widdicks^*, Federica Lucivero, Gabrielle Samuel, Lucas Somavilla Croxatto, Marcia Tavares Smith, Carolyn Ten Holter, Mike Berners-Lee, Gordon S. Blair, Marina Jirotka, Bran Knowles, Steven Sorrell, Miriam Börjesson Rivera, Caroline Cook, Vlad C. Coroamă, Timothy J. Foxon, Jeffrey Hardy, Lorenz M. Hilty, Simon Hinterholzer, Birgit Penzenstadler

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

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Abstract

Innovations and efficiencies in digital technology have lately been depicted as paramount in the green transition to enable the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, both in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector and the wider economy. This, however, fails to adequately account for rebound effects that can offset emission savings and, in the worst case, increase emissions. In this perspective, we draw on a transdisciplinary workshop with 19 experts from carbon accounting, digital sustainability research, ethics, sociology, public policy, and sustainable business to expose the challenges of addressing rebound effects in digital innovation processes and associated policy. We utilize a responsible innovation approach to uncover potential ways forward for incorporating rebound effects in these domains, concluding that addressing ICT-related rebound effects ultimately requires a shift from an ICT efficiency-centered perspective to a “systems thinking” model, which aims to understand efficiency as one solution among others that requires constraints on emissions for ICT environmental savings to be realized.

Original language	English
Article number	100679
Number of pages	10
Journal	Patterns
Volume	4
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patter.2023.100679
Publication status	Published - 10 Feb 2023

Keywords

digital innovation
DSML 1: Concept: Basic principles of a new data science output observed and reported
emissions constraints
environmental impacts
ICT
policy
rebound effects
systems thinking

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.patter.2023.100679Licence: CC BY

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Widdicks, K., Lucivero, F., Samuel, G., Croxatto, L. S., Smith, M. T., Holter, C. T., Berners-Lee, M., Blair, G. S., Jirotka, M., Knowles, B., Sorrell, S., Rivera, M. B., Cook, C., Coroamă, V. C., Foxon, T. J., Hardy, J., Hilty, L. M., Hinterholzer, S., & Penzenstadler, B. (2023). Systems thinking and efficiency under emissions constraints: Addressing rebound effects in digital innovation and policy. Patterns, 4(2), Article 100679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patter.2023.100679

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title = "Systems thinking and efficiency under emissions constraints: Addressing rebound effects in digital innovation and policy",

abstract = "Innovations and efficiencies in digital technology have lately been depicted as paramount in the green transition to enable the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, both in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector and the wider economy. This, however, fails to adequately account for rebound effects that can offset emission savings and, in the worst case, increase emissions. In this perspective, we draw on a transdisciplinary workshop with 19 experts from carbon accounting, digital sustainability research, ethics, sociology, public policy, and sustainable business to expose the challenges of addressing rebound effects in digital innovation processes and associated policy. We utilize a responsible innovation approach to uncover potential ways forward for incorporating rebound effects in these domains, concluding that addressing ICT-related rebound effects ultimately requires a shift from an ICT efficiency-centered perspective to a “systems thinking” model, which aims to understand efficiency as one solution among others that requires constraints on emissions for ICT environmental savings to be realized.",

keywords = "digital innovation, DSML 1: Concept: Basic principles of a new data science output observed and reported, emissions constraints, environmental impacts, ICT, policy, rebound effects, systems thinking",

author = "Kelly Widdicks and Federica Lucivero and Gabrielle Samuel and Croxatto, {Lucas Somavilla} and Smith, {Marcia Tavares} and Holter, {Carolyn Ten} and Mike Berners-Lee and Blair, {Gordon S.} and Marina Jirotka and Bran Knowles and Steven Sorrell and Rivera, {Miriam B{\"o}rjesson} and Caroline Cook and Coroam{\u a}, {Vlad C.} and Foxon, {Timothy J.} and Jeffrey Hardy and Hilty, {Lorenz M.} and Simon Hinterholzer and Birgit Penzenstadler",

note = "Funding Information: Thank you to the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council ( EPSRC ) for funding this research ( EP/V042378/1 ). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Author(s)",

year = "2023",

month = feb,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1016/j.patter.2023.100679",

language = "English",

volume = "4",

journal = "Patterns",

issn = "2666-3899",

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Widdicks, K, Lucivero, F , Samuel, G, Croxatto, LS, Smith, MT, Holter, CT, Berners-Lee, M, Blair, GS, Jirotka, M, Knowles, B, Sorrell, S, Rivera, MB, Cook, C, Coroamă, VC, Foxon, TJ, Hardy, J, Hilty, LM, Hinterholzer, S & Penzenstadler, B 2023, 'Systems thinking and efficiency under emissions constraints: Addressing rebound effects in digital innovation and policy', Patterns, vol. 4, no. 2, 100679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patter.2023.100679

TY - JOUR

T1 - Systems thinking and efficiency under emissions constraints

T2 - Addressing rebound effects in digital innovation and policy

AU - Widdicks, Kelly

AU - Lucivero, Federica

AU - Samuel, Gabrielle

AU - Croxatto, Lucas Somavilla

AU - Smith, Marcia Tavares

AU - Holter, Carolyn Ten

AU - Berners-Lee, Mike

AU - Blair, Gordon S.

AU - Jirotka, Marina

AU - Knowles, Bran

AU - Sorrell, Steven

AU - Rivera, Miriam Börjesson

AU - Cook, Caroline

AU - Coroamă, Vlad C.

AU - Foxon, Timothy J.

AU - Hardy, Jeffrey

AU - Hilty, Lorenz M.

AU - Hinterholzer, Simon

AU - Penzenstadler, Birgit

PY - 2023/2/10

Y1 - 2023/2/10

N2 - Innovations and efficiencies in digital technology have lately been depicted as paramount in the green transition to enable the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, both in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector and the wider economy. This, however, fails to adequately account for rebound effects that can offset emission savings and, in the worst case, increase emissions. In this perspective, we draw on a transdisciplinary workshop with 19 experts from carbon accounting, digital sustainability research, ethics, sociology, public policy, and sustainable business to expose the challenges of addressing rebound effects in digital innovation processes and associated policy. We utilize a responsible innovation approach to uncover potential ways forward for incorporating rebound effects in these domains, concluding that addressing ICT-related rebound effects ultimately requires a shift from an ICT efficiency-centered perspective to a “systems thinking” model, which aims to understand efficiency as one solution among others that requires constraints on emissions for ICT environmental savings to be realized.

AB - Innovations and efficiencies in digital technology have lately been depicted as paramount in the green transition to enable the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, both in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector and the wider economy. This, however, fails to adequately account for rebound effects that can offset emission savings and, in the worst case, increase emissions. In this perspective, we draw on a transdisciplinary workshop with 19 experts from carbon accounting, digital sustainability research, ethics, sociology, public policy, and sustainable business to expose the challenges of addressing rebound effects in digital innovation processes and associated policy. We utilize a responsible innovation approach to uncover potential ways forward for incorporating rebound effects in these domains, concluding that addressing ICT-related rebound effects ultimately requires a shift from an ICT efficiency-centered perspective to a “systems thinking” model, which aims to understand efficiency as one solution among others that requires constraints on emissions for ICT environmental savings to be realized.

KW - digital innovation

KW - DSML 1: Concept: Basic principles of a new data science output observed and reported

KW - emissions constraints

KW - environmental impacts

KW - ICT

KW - policy

KW - rebound effects

KW - systems thinking

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U2 - 10.1016/j.patter.2023.100679

DO - 10.1016/j.patter.2023.100679

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85147799754

SN - 2666-3899

VL - 4

JO - Patterns

JF - Patterns

IS - 2

M1 - 100679

ER -

Systems thinking and efficiency under emissions constraints: Addressing rebound effects in digital innovation and policy

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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