Abstract
Our societies and our economies are struggling to transform in response to the climate crisis with the speed and intent that the rapidly deteriorating environmental situation requires. Resistance to change is invoked as one of the reasons for the slow adoption of new sustainable practices. In this paper, we argue that the transition to sustainable behaviors is part of a wider adaptation to the new uncertain and precarious conditions of contemporary living and this constitutes a unique opportunity for rapid cultural change. The analysis of a growing innovation space that is at the crossroads of digital transformation and ecological transition shows that the digital culture of sustainability actually goes hand in hand with the changing practices emerging from an increasing economic and professional precariousness. Since the invention of the world wide web, we have seen that digital innovation is an accelerator of cultural change. When applied to the ecological transition, will digital innovation create the conditions for an equally rapid and profound transformation of practices? To start exploring this question, we built a dedicated research tool called If You Want To that collected several thousand digital environmental projects. Our initial findings suggest that this wide landscape of services enables new sustainable forms of exchange, collaboration, consumption, and production, giving rise to alternative social, environmental, and economic models.
Highlights
A common argument in the field of sustainability is that awareness of climate change is not enough to trigger significant lifestyle modifications [1,2,3]
We have summarised the data from the analysis of the entries in the IYWTo, in Table 1 showing the frequencies for the 7 socio-ecological transitions and the frequencies for the 5 modes of engagement
At the convergence of digital transformation and ecological transition, we have found a very large and diverse range of products and services that support the development of new sustainable behaviors
Summary
A common argument in the field of sustainability is that awareness of climate change is not enough to trigger significant lifestyle modifications [1,2,3]. A common explanation is that people modify “low cost” practices such as organizing waste, but are less willing to change behaviors that add a burden of time or effort to their lives such as changing their modes of commuting, heating, or travel [8] Simpler actions such as choosing energy-saving appliances satisfy the moral imperative of contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions without disrupting fundamental patterns and habits of living [9]. The starting point for most of this research, is the idea that people perceive themselves as living in stable situations and that they fear destabilizing the existing equilibrium Within this framework, the objective is to understand the mechanisms, be they psychological, social, or economic, that will trigger and sustain behavioral change in a positive direction. Group pressure, nudging [10] education, regulations are all instruments envisaged to help people transition from their current lifestyle to a new equilibrium characterized by a more sustainable set of practices
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