Web Summit 2021 - Break the logjam, dare to fail and act today
The personal goal was to be inspired by the development of the industry and to get some foresight on the latest trends to contribute to a better future.
The coronavirus pandemic has led to the positive trend of many companies bringing forward their emissions targets, as it has accelerated digital development and with it the realization of the opportunities to reduce their climate emissions. The understanding of how systems and technology solutions can streamline entire production and delivery systems to reduce emissions in a variety of sectors has increased, along with reduced travel and more digital meetings. Connectivity through digitalization has also led to new opportunities to connect smart people in different parts of the world, enabling us to become even smarter together.
It was pointed out that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg of the potential for a green transition and the sustainable solutions that do real good, not just look good. The potential of AI and the importance of access to data to be able to create real benefits were recurrent, and security issues were also linked to this. Among the stands and startups, there were several with a focus on access to renewable and efficient energy supply worldwide, not least from a democratic perspective, thus also providing access to technology and the internet.
There were also shorter conversations about the importance of supplier follow-up to reduce one's own climate footprint, circularity (although not directly linked to IT products, with the reservation that I only had time to see a fraction of everything), direct air capture and how digital technology and AI must be used to create a more sustainable agriculture that has not actually changed significantly in 70 years and which accounts for a large part of the carbon dioxide emissions in the world.
There may not have been much inspiration, but it confirmed that the problems are broadly the same wherever we are in the world, that we need to break down the silos and work together across industry, different sectors, small and large companies. That action is needed now, that we must dare to fail along the way and the importance of doing it together. That politics cannot ignore the demands and will of the masses if enough voices are raised from below. That retention is even more important.
At the same time; mask on. Mask off. Queue in. Queue for security check. Queue for food. Queue for toilets. Add the strike in the metro, which took the queuing and the search for transport to a new level. Back on Swedish soil, I will now digest all the impressions, take the bike where I want and it worm-free.
Frida Faxborn
Industrial policy expert