Digital Sovereignty and the Green Transition
EU Challenges in Times of War and Energy Crisis
Published on 16. September 2025
Book
Hardback
272 pages
978-1-5099-8362-9 (ISBN)
Description
This book is the first investigation of the relationship between EU digital sovereignty and sustainability strategies.
It maps the ambitions and limitations of EU digital strategic autonomy and explores the structural challenges underlying its relationship with its green transition objectives in the context of the ongoing wars in neighbouring European countries and the consequent tensions in the EU energy sector.
The EU is racing to achieve technological independence from third countries and foreign multinational companies to protect its digital sovereignty and preserve its fundamental rights. In the EU, digitalisation and the green transformation are seen as twin transitions. Yet, EU digital sovereignty strategies have a significant environmental cost. Reaching a status of strategic autonomy of the EU at the level of digital infrastructures, products, services and data implies higher energy consumption and exploitation of natural resources. Moreover, the geopolitical tensions following the Russian invasion of Ukraine have provoked an unprecedented energy crisis, which is affecting EU economies and impacting objectives of the twin transitions.
The book offers an interdisciplinary analysis of the major EU regulatory and policy instruments in this field, providing an invaluable guide for academics, practitioners, and policymakers navigating the complex issues of preserving digital sovereignty and addressing climate change in times of war and energy crisis.
It maps the ambitions and limitations of EU digital strategic autonomy and explores the structural challenges underlying its relationship with its green transition objectives in the context of the ongoing wars in neighbouring European countries and the consequent tensions in the EU energy sector.
The EU is racing to achieve technological independence from third countries and foreign multinational companies to protect its digital sovereignty and preserve its fundamental rights. In the EU, digitalisation and the green transformation are seen as twin transitions. Yet, EU digital sovereignty strategies have a significant environmental cost. Reaching a status of strategic autonomy of the EU at the level of digital infrastructures, products, services and data implies higher energy consumption and exploitation of natural resources. Moreover, the geopolitical tensions following the Russian invasion of Ukraine have provoked an unprecedented energy crisis, which is affecting EU economies and impacting objectives of the twin transitions.
The book offers an interdisciplinary analysis of the major EU regulatory and policy instruments in this field, providing an invaluable guide for academics, practitioners, and policymakers navigating the complex issues of preserving digital sovereignty and addressing climate change in times of war and energy crisis.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
570 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5099-8362-9 (9781509983629)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Edoardo Celeste is Associate Professor of Law, Technology and Innovation at the School of Law and Government of Dublin City University, Ireland.
Tamara Alvarez Robles is Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law at the Universidad de Leon, Spain.
Gael Depoorter is Associate Professor in Political Science at the Department of Political Science and Economics of Avignon Universite, France.
Tamara Favaro is Assistant Professor of Economic Law at the University of Pisa, Italy.
Tamara Alvarez Robles is Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law at the Universidad de Leon, Spain.
Gael Depoorter is Associate Professor in Political Science at the Department of Political Science and Economics of Avignon Universite, France.
Tamara Favaro is Assistant Professor of Economic Law at the University of Pisa, Italy.
Content
1. The Challenges of the EU Twin Transitions: Socio-Economic and Geopolitical Context, Edoardo Celeste (Dublin City University, Ireland), Tamara Alvarez Robles (University of Leon, Spain), Tamara Favaro (University of Pisa, Italy) and Gael Depoorter (Avignon University, France)
Part I: EU Digital Sovereignty: Ambitions, Challenges and Transnational Effects
2. EU Digital Sovereignty: Regulatory and Policy Ambitions, Brunessen Bertrand (University of Rennes, France)
3. Technical Challenges for EU Digital Sovereignty: Lessons from the GDPR, Harshvardhan J Pandit (Dublin City University, Ireland)
4. Digital Sovereignty, Cybersecurity and Geopolitical Implications, Tamara Alvarez Robles (University of Leon, Spain)
5. Digital Sovereignty in the Euro-Mediterranean Region: Protection and Competition in an Interconnected World, Mauro Santaniello (University of Salerno, Italy)
Part II: Reconciling Digital Sovereignty and the Green Transition
6. Sustainable Digital Sovereignty? Environmental Impact of EU Tech Strategies, Edoardo Celeste and Alba Perez Victorio (Dublin City University, Ireland)
7. Fostering the EU Energy Transition through Participatory Digital Sovereignty, Tamara Favaro (University of Pisa, Italy)
8. Government as an Environmental Platform: Digital Sovereignty and Data-Driven Environmental Action, Thibault Carrere, (Avignon University, France)
9. Digital Sovereignty and Green Public Procurement, Pierre-Henri Morand (Avignon University, France)
Part III: Towards a Sustainable and Sovereign EU Digital Economy?
10. Bitcoin: A Subversive Model of Sovereignty Undermined by the Climate Challenge? Gael Depoorter (Avignon University, France)
11. Blockchain for Sustainability: The Case of Agribusiness, Cecilia Rasetto (University of Pisa, Italy)
12. Eco-Digital Products and Services: Towards New EU Sustainability Rights? Alba Perez Victorio and Edoardo Celeste (Dublin City University, Ireland)
13. Digital Sovereignty and ESG Policies: The Role of the EU Banking System, Francesco Dimichina (University of Pisa, Italy)
Part I: EU Digital Sovereignty: Ambitions, Challenges and Transnational Effects
2. EU Digital Sovereignty: Regulatory and Policy Ambitions, Brunessen Bertrand (University of Rennes, France)
3. Technical Challenges for EU Digital Sovereignty: Lessons from the GDPR, Harshvardhan J Pandit (Dublin City University, Ireland)
4. Digital Sovereignty, Cybersecurity and Geopolitical Implications, Tamara Alvarez Robles (University of Leon, Spain)
5. Digital Sovereignty in the Euro-Mediterranean Region: Protection and Competition in an Interconnected World, Mauro Santaniello (University of Salerno, Italy)
Part II: Reconciling Digital Sovereignty and the Green Transition
6. Sustainable Digital Sovereignty? Environmental Impact of EU Tech Strategies, Edoardo Celeste and Alba Perez Victorio (Dublin City University, Ireland)
7. Fostering the EU Energy Transition through Participatory Digital Sovereignty, Tamara Favaro (University of Pisa, Italy)
8. Government as an Environmental Platform: Digital Sovereignty and Data-Driven Environmental Action, Thibault Carrere, (Avignon University, France)
9. Digital Sovereignty and Green Public Procurement, Pierre-Henri Morand (Avignon University, France)
Part III: Towards a Sustainable and Sovereign EU Digital Economy?
10. Bitcoin: A Subversive Model of Sovereignty Undermined by the Climate Challenge? Gael Depoorter (Avignon University, France)
11. Blockchain for Sustainability: The Case of Agribusiness, Cecilia Rasetto (University of Pisa, Italy)
12. Eco-Digital Products and Services: Towards New EU Sustainability Rights? Alba Perez Victorio and Edoardo Celeste (Dublin City University, Ireland)
13. Digital Sovereignty and ESG Policies: The Role of the EU Banking System, Francesco Dimichina (University of Pisa, Italy)