I. What is CODES?
The Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES) is a global, multi stakeholder alliance of governments, companies and civil society established to harness digital transformation to become a positive and exponential force for sustainability and climate action. The CODES community is co-creating and accelerating a sustainable digital future for all through a common Action Plan for a Sustainable Planet in the Digital Age.
CODES is a formal part of the implementation process for the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation. CODES is co-championed by government actors, the scientific community, non-governmental organisations and the two UN agencies that are responsible for Environment and Development (UNEP and UNDP). Over 1,000 members actively contribute to CODES from public and private sectors and civil society organizations from around the world. CODES engages directly with the high-level political process on this subject at the UN level and beyond.
II. What is our vision and mission?
The vision of CODES is: A digital transformation of the society and economy that enables an environmentally sustainable and equitable future for all.
The mission of CODES is: To catalyze three strategic shifts that are needed to harness digital transformation to become a positive and exponential force for environmental sustainability and climate action. These include:
• Shift 1 Enable Alignment: Create the enabling conditions to align the vision, values and objectives of the digital age with sustainable development;
• Shift 2 Mitigate Negative Impact: A commitment to sustainable digitalisation that mitigates the negative environmental and social impacts of digital technologies;
• Shift 3 Accelerate Innovation: Directing efforts, incentives and investments toward digital innovation that accelerates environmental and social sustainability.
III. What are our strategic objectives?
- Set the agenda, advocate and raise awareness on opportunities and risks
- Convene and connect a global community of common purpose
- Catalyze practical action, enabling policies and systemic impacts
- Integrate sustainability priorities into the global digital governance framework
IV. How to engage in CODES?
The most important engagement channel is to participate in the co-creation of the Action Plan for a Sustainable Planet in the Digital Age. More information on the engagement process is available here. The latest draft of the Action Plan can be downloaded here. Feedback on the draft Action plan can be sent to CODES@un.org until 31 March 2022.
CODES community members can also attend monthly Digital Discovery sessions and other events as well as contribute content to the monthly CODES newsletter. For more information contact: CODES@un.org
V. Which stakeholders does CODES engage?
CODES is engaging with all stakeholders working on the nexus between digital transformation and planetary sustainability. This includes governments, private sector, civil society, academia and indigenous groups. As part of the development of the Action Plan for a Sustainable Planet in the Digital Age, CODES undertook a stakeholder mapping exercise to determine which organizations are already working on the three shifts. The results of the mapping are available as a Supplemental Inventory of Initiatives as well as within the Kumu platform and as an Airtable. Contact CODES@un.org to contribute your initiative to the stakeholder map.
