How Digital Technologies Can Help Us Respond to Climate Change?
How can digital technologies support both reactive and proactive responses to the climate crisis across different levels of society? This research explores that question by examining the role of digital tools across different levels, from large systems to everyday individual behavior.
The paper brings together multiple perspectives on how digital technologies can support resilience in the face of climate change. It takes the reader through a progression of ideas. It begins by clarifying what it means to be resilient in a changing climate, then moves into real-world cases that show how communities and governments use technology to respond to environmental risks. From there, it develops new ways of thinking about the problem, emphasizing the need to consider interactions between people, technology, and nature, as well as the importance of linking actions across different scales and over time. It then explores practical applications, such as supply chains and consumer behavior, to show how these ideas can be put into practice.
In Section 6, the paper looks at how digital tools can influence everyday consumer behavior. It focuses on programs that reward people for making low-carbon choices, such as reducing waste or choosing more sustainable products. For example, some platforms allow users to earn points or badges when they avoid single-use items or make environmentally friendly purchases. These small incentives can encourage people to change their habits and become more aware of their environmental impact.
The section highlights two important ways these programs can create broader change. First, they can push people to rethink their routines and actively engage with sustainability (Reform). Small, rewarded actions can interrupt everyday habits, making people more aware of their environmental impact and encouraging them to adopt new behaviors. Over time, this can also spark conversations within online communities, where users share tips, experiences, and ideas around more sustainable lifestyles.
Second, these digital systems can help build a shared record of what works (Remember). By tracking behavior and collecting data over time, they create a kind of collective memory that captures both everyday practices and responses to environmental challenges. This shared knowledge can guide individuals and communities in making better decisions in the future, helping them respond more effectively to events such as extreme weather or resource shortages.
Overall, the paper shows that responding to the climate crisis requires more than isolated technological solutions. It highlights the need to connect individual actions with larger systems, consider both short-term responses and long-term change, and recognize climate change as an ongoing process rather than a series of separate events. Digital technologies can support this shift, but their impact depends on how they are designed and used to enable sustained, coordinated, and forward-looking action.
Boh, W. F., Melville, N. P., Baptista, J., Chasin, F., Horita, F., Ixmeier, A., ..Sadeghi, S.,.. Wilopo, W. (2026). Digital Resilience for the Climate Crisis: A Multi-Perspective Analysis (external link, opens in new window) . MIS Quarterly, 50 (1): 1–34.