Shaping sustainable futures with digitalization and AI

In an increasingly digital world, technology is transforming how we address global sustainability challenges. Take smart electrical grids, for example—these systems optimise energy production and consumption to help stabilise the grid and reduce waste. So how can digitalization and AI be leveraged for sustainability in a responsible way, and which pitfalls should be avoided to make sure that the digital transition doesn’t undermine sustainability goals?

At Utrecht University’s Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, the Special Interest Group on Digitalization and AI (DAISY), brings together researchers who are exploring the intersections of these two concurrent transitions towards sustainability and digitalization. The SIG was initiated by Laura Piscicelli, Christina Bidmon and Iryna Susha — the latter currently coordinating the initiative.

“Digitalization plays a complex role in achieving sustainability goals,” explains Susha. “Our researchers are at the forefront of investigating how digital tools like AI, digital product passports, environmental data mapping, and machine learning can support sustainable practices”.

To learn more, we spoke with five DAISY members about how their research is shaping responsible digitalization for a more sustainable future.

Laura Piscicelli: Unlocking circularity in construction through digital innovation

Laura Piscicelli’s research explores how digital technologies can accelerate the transition to a circular economy, with a particular focus on the construction sector. Her work examines how digital tools—such as Digital Product Passports (DPPs) and decentralised material databases—can facilitate the reuse of construction and demolition waste by improving material traceability and transparency.

“While digital tools can support circular practices, their success depends on trust, collaboration, and shifts in power dynamics within the industry,” Piscicelli explains. “For example, if stakeholders don’t trust the data provided in a Digital Product Passport, or if power imbalances prevent fair access to reused materials, the impact of these technologies remains limited.”

Piscicelli’s research sheds light on the social and organizational challenges of integrating digital innovations into circular business models. By examining how companies, policymakers, and end-users interact with these technologies, her work provides actionable insights into overcoming resistance and ensuring that digitalization truly supports a circular built environment.

Anouk Fransen: Nature Tech at the intersection of climate and biodiversity

Anouk Fransen’s research explores the concept of Nature-Based Solutions at the intersection of climate and biodiversity. In her work, she critically examines how Nature Tech—technology like environmental DNA (eDNA) and machine learning—is increasingly considered as the authoritative tool for governing nature and to address the intertwined climate and biodiversity crises.

“These tech-enabled forms of expertise often go unquestioned in terms of how they shape our responses to climate and biodiversity challenges,” Fransen explains. “I aim to critically interrogate the politics of these technologies and their role in defining what counts as a ‘solution’.”

Fransen’s research highlights that while digital tools offer powerful capabilities, they also reshape solutions around biodiversity and climate challenges. By studying the impact of digitalization, her work sheds light on the political dynamics that influence what comes to be accepted as solutions to environmental crises, pushing for a more thoughtful integration of technology in climate and biodiversity governance.

Britta Ricker: Mapping sustainable development with AI-enhanced cartography

Britta Ricker focuses on using cartography and Earth observation data to support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By creating maps from satellite data, she helps local governments visualize and measure their progress on the SDGs, demonstrating where interventions are needed or have been successful. However, processing the global satellite data gathered daily requires powerful AI.

“Global almost-daily satellite imagery is impossible to process manually. Who trains the AI influences the results dramatically,” Ricker emphasizes. “When training AI for mapping, it’s essential to include local perspectives to ensure accuracy for a sustainable world.”

Ricker’s work highlights the potential of digital mapping as a powerful tool for environmental governance. By providing workflows that make complex spatial data accessible to local governments, she supports tailored solutions that align with specific community needs, ensuring that technology serves as an ally in sustainable planning.

Vinzenz Koning: Driving the energy transition with data analysis

Vinzenz Koning’s research addresses one of the greatest sustainability challenges: the energy transition. His work spans the entire energy system, from production to consumption, and seeks ways to make energy use more sustainable. A core part of his research involves using digital data to analyze energy consumption patterns, which can lead to more effective urban and transportation planning.

“If we can understand the drivers of energy consumption better, we can find ways to reduce it, making the energy transition easier,” Koning says. “By analyzing behavioral and neighborhood data, we’re gaining insights into how the built environment influences sustainable travel behavior.”

Koning’s use of AI and data analytics to study energy consumption offers practical insights for reducing carbon footprints through urban planning. His research demonstrates how digitalization can support sustainable energy systems and encourages behaviors that align with environmental goals.

DAISY: A hub for digital innovation and sustainability

DAISY is a hub where digital tools are thoughtfully interrogated to understand their potential role in addressing the world’s most urgent sustainability issues. “Our group combines rich interdisciplinary and sectoral expertise on the instrumental value of different digital tools for sustainability, with a critical and reflective stance towards digitalization and its socio-economic and environmental implications”.