Multilateral roadmap for digital cooperation

Background

Digitalization can drive the transformation to sustainability, or thwart it. For humanity to seize current opportunities, policy-makers must act.

UN Secretary General António Guterres has argued for deep transformations to prevent climate disaster and to fight poverty, reduce inequality and discourage destructive nationalism.

The scientific community has been consistent on this point: we need deep change if we are to achieve sustainability. A mountain of scientific publications support Guterres’ concern, including landmark reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Responding to this need, the ISC worked on a new flagship initiative in 2021, the Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES), in partnership with UNEP, UNDP, the German Environment Agency, the Kenyan Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Future Earth and Sustainability in the Digital Age.

CODES aims to encourage digital innovation which serves sustainable development, while also valuing thriving natural ecosystems, human wellbeing and community resilience.

It brings together members from public and private sectors and civil society organizations around the world and engages directly with the political process on this subject at the international level.

CODES strategic objectives

1. Set the agenda, advocate and raise awareness on opportunities and risks;
2. Convene and connect a global community of common purpose;
3. Catalyse practical action, enabling policies and systemic impacts;
4. Integrate environmental priorities into the global digital governance framework.

Activities and impact

• March 2021: CODES launched.
• May 2021: First CODES roundtable to discuss the draft report and agenda for “A Digital Planet for Sustainability”.
• June 2021: Global CODES conference for organizations contributing to building “A Digital Planet for Sustainability”.
• February 2022: Updated draft of the Action plan for input and feedback presented at the CODES roundtable.
• May 2022: Roundtable consultation on the CODES report “A Digital Planet for Sustainability”.
• June 2022: CODES Action Plan for a Sustainable Planet in the Digital Age launched at Stockholm +50.
• 2023: ITU joined as a co-champion of CODES.
• March 2024: CODES contributed to the Global Digital Compact through consultative meetings with stakeholders and written inputs.
• June 2024: the ISC hosted a meeting bringing together the CODES Steering Group to define strategic plans for 2024 onwards.
• September 2024: CODES is hosting a side-event on Digital Environmental Sustainability and AI for the Global Digital Compact at the UN Summit of the Future.
• At the moment the team is building a proposal.

Get involved

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