Digitalization and sustainability are two of the most disruptive forces. Digitalization can foster productivity growth and long-run prosperity. Nevertheless, it is challenging firms and people that cannot keep up, because it requires high investment costs, creates labour market risks derived from automation, and could even defy sustainability if not properly managed.

Sustainability has a transformation up-front costs and could be disruptive in the short-term, but at the same time, it could catalyse productivity gains, and energy efficiency, while conserving natural capital and reversing ecosystems’ degradation.

All in all, digitalization may reduce carbon emissions in the medium and long-term. Thus, it may impact decarbonization through higher energy consumption and carbon footprint of the digital sector, optimization, and structural economic changes.