Bits&Bäume

The Weizenbaum Institute is an active member of the Bits & Bäume Network. It is the largest nationwide civil society alliance at the intersection of digital transformation and sustainability. It consists of 13 organizations from the fields of environmental and climate policy, internet policy, development policy, and science, as well as a growing community. Bits & Bäume started with its first nationwide conference in 2018.

Weizenbaum Institute was a co-organizer of the second Bits & Bäume conference in September 2022, with our scientists contributing to the program. An important goal of the conference was to connect the interested community with small digital businesses to work together on realizing climate and environmental protection, social justice, democracy, and fundamental rights in the digital age. Discussions included political strategies, governance proposals, and best practice examples. Following the conference, the Weizenbaum Institute, along with other organizations such as the Chaos Computer Club and BUND, developed a joint set of demands for policymakers. This set of demands includes adhering to planetary boundaries, regional self-determination, global and social justice, the redistribution of power, participation, and IT security.

In the summer of 2023, the book “Shaping Digital Transformation for a Sustainable Society” was published, featuring 28 contributions from 68 authors from practice, civil society, and research. They discuss the challenges of current digital developments and provide insights into how digital policy can and must be shaped today.