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Five wooden cubes with symbols for digitalization and renewable energies lie on a wooden table.

Digital and Environmental Transformation in the Regions

Digitalisation, artificial intelligence, the shift to green energy and the transition to sustainable transport options: the challenges posed by the digital and environmental transformation are immense and time is running out. At the same time, our ageing society lacks many of the skilled workers needed to build wind turbines, install heat pumps and digitalise administrative processes. The German government can improve the business and regulatory environment but transformation can ultimately only take place at local level. However, the conditions necessary for the digital and environmental transformation to succeed vary enormously from region to region.

As regions differ considerably in terms of their economic structure, so too does the amount of adjustment required for both processes at regional level. In many cases, the effects of this ‘double transformation’ are impacting on the labour market. At the same time, there are opportunities for structurally weak regions to develop new growth poles.

What effect do digital and environmental transformation processes have on businesses and workers from a regional perspective? What policies could contribute to a successful transformation? How can the opportunities arising from the transformation be exploited and negative effects mitigated? IAB’s research and consultancy activities focus on these and other questions of relevance for digital and environmental transformation in the regions.

This special feature provides a link to current publications and projects by the IAB on this topic.

Activities

Research Units and Working Groups

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