Welcome to the Network for the Digital Economy and the Environment!

We seek to foster an emerging field of research that examines the environmental impact of our digital lives.

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Research Topics

The rapid evolution and adoption of digital technologies are transforming our social and economic lives. These transformations have important environmental and energy implications.

The Network for the Digital Economy and the Environment is an initiative that catalyzes and disseminates research that examines the environmental impacts of digital technologies. We seek to build and foster a community of researchers who are advancing this emerging field of study. We’re always scanning what’s on the horizon and currently our research priorities lie in artificial intelligence, blockchain, the Internet of Things, and sharing platforms.

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Artificial
Intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence (AI) enables computational systems with the ability to learn and improve their performance over time. As the scope, complexity, and application of these self-teaching systems grows they will increasingly shape how we manage energy and the environment.

Blockchain
Technologies

Blockchain technology offers a permissionless, non-hierarchical, dispersed means of exchange between parties and individuals. Little is known about the energy consumption of blockchain applications and the sustainability opportunities some of those applications present.

Internet of
Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the increasing interconnection and internet capabilities of the objects used in our daily activities. Objects share information with each other and with users in ways that support novel environmental applications.

Sharing
Economy

Digital sharing platforms such as Lyft, Uber and AirBnB have transformed the economy. They allow for the short-term renting and sharing of resources. Despite their prevalence and scope, we do not fully understand the environmental impact of these platforms.