This CONNECT University session presented the impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that certain digital technologies have in the context of specific use case scenarios. Discussion took place on the findings of the report “Digital with Purpose - Delivering a SMARTer2030”  that GeSI had concluded with the help of Deloitte. The report identifies and quantifies the ways in which digital technologies, both established and cutting-edge, are capable of delivering transformative impact against each of the 17 SDGs.

The primary aim of the session was to show how to deploy digital technologies with a societal impact in mind in order to deliver benefits such as reductions in carbon emissions that are multiple times higher than the carbon footprint of the ICT sector itself. In this vein, seven digital technologies have been selected to represent the short and medium term evolution of the ICT sector: Digital Access, Fast Internet, Cloud, IoT, Cognitive, Digital Reality, and Blockchain.

Digital technologies are already driving so many positive changes worldwide. Following the CONNECT University session on “ICT Transformation – Steering the impact of digital solutions on the SDGs", that provided an overview of the digital contributions on climate change and the SDGs to date, this session outlined the significant gap that still exists for the achievement of the 2030 targets and how we can make Digital with Purpose a reality.

For more sessions on "Digital for Sustainability" please have a look at the full programme.