EU Environmental Law in the Digital Age: A Critical Outlook on the Twin Transition’s Legal Structure
The European Union (EU) has embraced the “twin transition” – the simultaneous pursuit of digitalisation and ecological transformation – as a cornerstone of its industrial policy. EU lawmakers argue that digital technologies can advance environmental protection by enhancing environmental monitoring,...
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Cambridge University Press
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| Series: | European Journal of Risk Regulation |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1867299X25100299/type/journal_article |
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| author | Aude-Solveig Epstein |
| author_facet | Aude-Solveig Epstein |
| author_sort | Aude-Solveig Epstein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The European Union (EU) has embraced the “twin transition” – the simultaneous pursuit of digitalisation and ecological transformation – as a cornerstone of its industrial policy. EU lawmakers argue that digital technologies can advance environmental protection by enhancing environmental monitoring, optimising resource use, and enabling data-driven sustainability efforts. However, this vision tends to overlook the environmental costs of digitalisation, including rising energy and water consumption, intensive resource extraction, and the proliferation of electronic waste. This article critically examines whether EU law is adequately equipped to support a twin transition, drawing on a black-letter analysis of EU legal provisions, as well as insights from science and technology studies and critical environmental law. It posits that, while environmental law plays a significant role in the datafication of the environment and the digitalisation of society, it falls short in regulating digital technology and data in ways that advance sustainability. For the twin transition to evolve beyond a political slogan and deliver real ecological benefits, substantial legal reforms would be required. The regulation of digital technology would have to move beyond corporate self-regulation and disclosure-based models of environmental governance. Data governance should be reoriented to emphasise freedom of access and a more deliberatively restrained approach to data generation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-42e912c1406f4210a61487eb7a000cff |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1867-299X 2190-8249 |
| language | English |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Risk Regulation |
| spelling | doaj-art-42e912c1406f4210a61487eb7a000cff2025-08-20T13:13:04ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Journal of Risk Regulation1867-299X2190-824911710.1017/err.2025.10029EU Environmental Law in the Digital Age: A Critical Outlook on the Twin Transition’s Legal StructureAude-Solveig Epstein0https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9678-1474Associate Professor at Paris Nanterre University (CEDCACE), Visiting Associate Professor at NYU Abu Dhabi and Associate Researcher at SAFIRThe European Union (EU) has embraced the “twin transition” – the simultaneous pursuit of digitalisation and ecological transformation – as a cornerstone of its industrial policy. EU lawmakers argue that digital technologies can advance environmental protection by enhancing environmental monitoring, optimising resource use, and enabling data-driven sustainability efforts. However, this vision tends to overlook the environmental costs of digitalisation, including rising energy and water consumption, intensive resource extraction, and the proliferation of electronic waste. This article critically examines whether EU law is adequately equipped to support a twin transition, drawing on a black-letter analysis of EU legal provisions, as well as insights from science and technology studies and critical environmental law. It posits that, while environmental law plays a significant role in the datafication of the environment and the digitalisation of society, it falls short in regulating digital technology and data in ways that advance sustainability. For the twin transition to evolve beyond a political slogan and deliver real ecological benefits, substantial legal reforms would be required. The regulation of digital technology would have to move beyond corporate self-regulation and disclosure-based models of environmental governance. Data governance should be reoriented to emphasise freedom of access and a more deliberatively restrained approach to data generation.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1867299X25100299/type/journal_articleDigitalizationEnvironmental Lawsustainabilitytechnologytwin transition |
| spellingShingle | Aude-Solveig Epstein EU Environmental Law in the Digital Age: A Critical Outlook on the Twin Transition’s Legal Structure European Journal of Risk Regulation Digitalization Environmental Law sustainability technology twin transition |
| title | EU Environmental Law in the Digital Age: A Critical Outlook on the Twin Transition’s Legal Structure |
| title_full | EU Environmental Law in the Digital Age: A Critical Outlook on the Twin Transition’s Legal Structure |
| title_fullStr | EU Environmental Law in the Digital Age: A Critical Outlook on the Twin Transition’s Legal Structure |
| title_full_unstemmed | EU Environmental Law in the Digital Age: A Critical Outlook on the Twin Transition’s Legal Structure |
| title_short | EU Environmental Law in the Digital Age: A Critical Outlook on the Twin Transition’s Legal Structure |
| title_sort | eu environmental law in the digital age a critical outlook on the twin transition s legal structure |
| topic | Digitalization Environmental Law sustainability technology twin transition |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1867299X25100299/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT audesolveigepstein euenvironmentallawinthedigitalageacriticaloutlookonthetwintransitionslegalstructure |