Digital degrowth – Beyond Solutionism

Abstract

This paper argues that environmental sustainability should become a primary goal in IS research. Often, we tend to propose digital technology as a solution that contribute to environmental sustainability. Less frequently we recognize that the energy and material resource flows associated with ICTs in themselves have environmental impacts. The tendency to consider digital technology a solution instead of a challenge is one-sided and tend to drive growth in digital technologies. This is reinforced by the “green growth” discourse which exhibits a continued and unrealistic reliance on economic growth. Alternative paradigms under the larger “postgrowth” umbrella articulates other priorities, including degrowth and sufficiency-oriented approaches. In this Research-in-Progress paper I review some approaches, such as computing within limits, collapse informatics, permacomputing and debates about judicious digital design and frugal innovations, as a starting point for articulating implications and possible directions for how the IS field could engage with a degrowth agenda.