Digital pathways to reach the climate target | Part 2: Digitalisation as a catalyst

The effects of climate change can be felt worldwide, but as an Alpine country, Switzerland is particularly affected. In the study ‘Smart and Green: Digital Paths to Net Zero’, digitalswitzerland and Economiesuisse, in collaboration with Accenture, analysed how digitalisation can help close the climate gap and what concrete measures industries can take to help achieve the climate goals. In this blog series, we want to take a closer look at different industries and give concrete recommendations for action. In this first post, we discuss ‘Why is digitalisation an important catalyst for reducing emissions and what does it mean for Swiss companies?’

The pressing challenges of climate change cannot be ignored, and as an alpine country, Switzerland is particularly at risk. The average temperature has risen by about two degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times, double the global average increase. These alarming changes show the need to use all available levers to reduce emissions in Switzerland. One promising strategy for meeting this challenge is digitalisation.

Digitalisation, understood as the integration of digital technologies into business processes, products and services, offers numerous opportunities to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. Particularly in Switzerland, where the ambitious climate targets of the Paris Agreement require a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990, digitalisation plays a central role. But how exactly can digitalisation help to achieve these goals, and what does it mean for Swiss companies and the population?

Digitalisation and sustainability are often seen as separate issues, but in reality they are closely linked. Digital technologies make it possible to optimise processes, use resources more efficiently and thus significantly reduce CO2 emissions. For example, the use of smart grids can optimise the control of energy networks and energy consumption, reduce consumption and promote the use of renewable energy. In agriculture, digitalisation enables precise fertilisation methods and more efficient field management, which protects the environment and can increase yields.

Different sectors offer different potential for using digital technologies to achieve climate targets. In building management, for example, smart homes and intelligent building management systems can achieve significant energy savings. These technologies make it possible to monitor energy consumption in real time and adjust it automatically, resulting in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.

The transport sector, one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, can also benefit greatly from digitalisation. Real-time route optimisation and mobility-as-a-service platforms offer potential for making transport more efficient and thus reducing emissions.

For Swiss SMEs, digitalisation not only offers an opportunity to operate in a more environmentally friendly way, but also a chance to increase their competitiveness. By using digital technologies, SMEs can make their production processes more efficient, reduce energy consumption and make their products and services more sustainable. This not only opens up new market opportunities, but can also reduce operating costs at the same time.

One example of this is the predictive maintenance of machines. By using data analysis and machine learning, machines can be serviced in good time and breakdowns avoided. This not only prevents unplanned downtime, but also reduces resource consumption and the associated emissions.

Our study shows that Switzerland has the potential to save between 1.2 and 3.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents in 2030 through the use of digital technologies. If we exploit this potential to the maximum, Switzerland could close up to 20% of the remaining climate gap. However, the study emphasises that this 20% can only be achieved if digitalisation is pursued ambitiously.

Digitalisation offers Switzerland a unique opportunity to achieve its climate targets and at the same time increase the competitiveness of its economy. For SMEs and the general population, this means that investing in digital technologies not only contributes to climate protection, but also makes economic sense and is forward-looking. It is up to politicians, among others, to create the necessary framework conditions so that digitalisation can be used as a lever for greater sustainability. Only in this way can Switzerland achieve its ambitious climate targets while also benefiting from the advantages of the digital transformation.

Digitalisation offers Swiss companies enormous potential savings in a range of areas. Whether it’s optimising production processes, reducing energy consumption or increasing efficiency in logistics, the possibilities are diverse and promising. Companies that take advantage of this potential not only make an important contribution to climate protection, but also secure competitive advantages and cost savings for themselves at the same time. It is therefore essential that companies recognise digitalisation as a key technology for a sustainable future and invest in digital solutions accordingly.

In the coming blog posts, we will take a close look at different industries and their specific challenges, opportunities and developments. We will start with the building sector, highlighting how technologies such as smart homes and building management systems can be utilised to reduce emissions and use resources more sustainably.