Prof. Dr. Jan Bieser
Professor for Digitalization & Sustainability
Jan Bieser is an assistant professor for digitalization and sustainability. In his research, he investigates the opportunities and risks of digitization for society and the environment. Before joining BFH, Jan Bieser researched and taught as a senior researcher, PostDoc, and PhD student on digitalization and sustainable development at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, the Department of Informatics at the University of Zurich, and the Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. As a fellow of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Cities of Tomorrow, Jan Bieser worked with representatives of cities, the private sector, and international organizations to explore how digital technologies can make cities more sustainable and equitable. He led various research collaborations on the environmental impacts of digital technologies in cooperation with industrial companies, associations, and NGOs. Previously, he was a sustainability manager at the University of Zurich, where he was the lead author of the first sustainability report, and an IT and sustainability consultant at IBM and Deutsche Telekom.
https://www.bfh.ch/de/ueber-die-bfh/personen/weq3e2mdi523/
The Digital Dilemma: Climate Threat or Enabler for Net Zero?
Amazon promises to be net zero by 2040, Google by 2030. Apple aims to be carbon neutral by 2030, and Microsoft even carbon negative. Yet, the IT sector is not aligned with global climate goals and is causing more and more CO2 emissions.
In other sectors, digitalization is often seen as a climate savior. However, even though digital applications provide a large theoretical potential for emission reductions, this potential has not yet been realized. For example, digital mobility services can make public transportation more attractive and efficient, but through car- and ride-sharing, they can also increase car traffic.
With the breakthrough of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), the role of digital technology in the economy and everyday life will increase even further. To ensure that the next era of digitalization does not increase environmental problems, targeted action is required.
In his lecture, Jan Bieser discussed the opportunities and risks of digitalization for climate protection and pathways toward a sustainable digital society.