Apéro Digital Infographic V - Change the Default

Empowerment Education Accountability Hold organizations, including tech companies, governments, and other actors, accountable. Implement standardised, international mechanisms to monitor and report on the resources used in the production and operation of digital systems. Prioritize political and institutional action over pressure on individual choices. Take sustainability actions as opportunity spaces to enable citizens to influence policies at national and international levels. Establish better mechanisms for social participation at the COP and other fora. Develop educational initiatives on sustainability and digitalisation for all levels of education. They must comprise the practical aspects, as well as the rights and responsibilities of individuals. Empower citizens on how to understand, analyse, and take actions accordingly. Evidence-based Policy Improve communication between the scientific community and other sectors and segments of society. Address systemic barriers that hinder the multi-stakeholder dialog. Promote literacy in scientific diplomacy. Create effective policymaking toolkits based on lessons learned from different countries. Strategic Planning Provide more information about the environmental impact and externalities of digital tools, including coordination with data centers. Establish a global sustainability grading matrix for digital and AI-based systems that are similar to energy labels for electrical appliances. Optimize current energy systems and develop new energy sources, through innovative knowledge creation and acquisition outlets. Incentives Develop effective incentives for participatory and diverse global cooperation on R&D in technologies for sustainability. Develop mechanisms for promoting innovation that aligns sustainability with business goals. Incentivize consumers to opt for more sustainable options. Integration Discuss and address both the positive and negative impacts of digitalisation on sustainability, including especially impact on environment and local communities, to minimize social isolation and potential loss of social cohesion. Anchor sustainability as a transversal theme for all topics that shape the political agenda towards a desirable society. Change the Default! Apéro Digital APÉRO DIGITAL V – June 2025 Digitalization & Sustainability About This manifesto is co-produced by a multidisciplinary group of representatives from public authority, civil society, innovation community, and academia. It aims at identifying action priorities that should be championed at the COP30 to ensure a reflective equilibrium between digitalization and sustainability.