Towards a digitally powered green transition

Content

• Challenges affecting the use and re-use of public and private sector environmental data
• Bottlenecks that prevent use cases from scaling up: looking into support mechanisms (piloting, experimentation, knowledge exchange) as well as capacity building (funding, skills, etc.) that can scale data-driven innovation
• Digital infrastructure and technological enablers: a toolbox of digital enablers and building blocks to support the Green Deal Data Space
• Key benefits of joining the GDDS: incentives and disincentives for data sharing, business model(s) and the long-term sustainability of the Green Deal Data Space
• Organisational aspects: roles and responsibilities, including the role of the public and private sector both data provider and potential user and their interaction

The Staff Working Document on common European data spaces indicates that a data space shall (i) deploy data-sharing tools and services for the pooling, processing and sharing of data by an open number of organisations; (ii) include data governance structures, compatible with relevant EU legislation and (iii) improve the availability, quality and interoperability of data – both in domain-specific settings and across sectors. As part of the stakeholder consultation activities related to the Green Deal Data Space (GDDS), a series of three online workshops ((i) The Green Deal Data Space for AI; (ii) Last mile digital applications for a greener future, and (iii) Data-driven innovation for supply chains and eco-friendly design) demonstrated the value of data through inspiring use cases. 
This workshop will draw on the learnings from the stakeholder consultations and identify the problems affecting the use and re-use of environmental data, the bottlenecks that affect the scaling up of use cases, the appropriate enablers and building blocks to support the Green Deal Data Space operation and the principles underpinning its future governance model.

Challenges affecting the use and re-use of public and private sector environmental data:
Stakeholders indicate challenges related to data accessibility, limited by privacy/ confidentiality concerns, proprietary restrictions, and lack of transparency about who owns the data and how it can be shared. Others mention interoperability as a bottleneck, since data often exists in varying formats and standards, making it difficult to integrate and use efficiently across different platforms and systems. Datasets might also be incomplete, outdated, or simply do not exist, which can impact the reliability of insights drawn from the data. Complex regulations can pose hurdles, with businesses facing burdensome data sharing to meet reporting requirements leading to reporting fatigue. Finally, our understanding is that data is spread across different entities and locations, leading to fragmented systems that complicate holistic analysis and application.

• What other challenges are you experiencing?

Bottlenecks that prevent use cases from scaling up:
In our discussion, we will explore how to overcome the bottlenecks that slow down the growth of innovative ideas by focusing on providing safe spaces for testing, piloting and experimentation, encouraging knowledge sharing to replicate, scale up and scale out successful use cases, ensuring adequate funding is available for innovators, and fostering collaboration across sectors to share resources and insights effectively.

• What are the main bottlenecks?
• What can the Commission / stakeholders / ecosystem do to address them?

Digital infrastructure and technological enablers:
To truly embrace a green future powered by digital technology, we need a lot more than just data; we need a solid digital foundation to support and speed up this change. The Green Deal Data Space (GDDS) is working with the SAGE project to build technological enablers - specific and reusable tools building blocks that can work together easily. This setup will connect with other systems, like the digital product passport or business wallet. This flexible system is designed to be versatile enough to work for many different types of projects and needs, helping drive new ideas and cooperation across Europe, in line with its green goals.

Key benefits of joining the GDDS:
We will examine how the Green Deal Data Space provides opportunities for developing new data-products and services, enhancing collaboration, and driving innovation through increased data accessibility while adhering to European regulations and principles like data protection and technological sovereignty. Additionally, we will explore the specific benefits and incentives for both data providers and users for joining the data space, focusing on how data providers can enhance the visibility and utility of their data, potentially generate revenue streams, and contribute to industry standards, while data users will benefit from diversified access to high-quality data, leading to improved decision-making and developing data-driven solutions and services. We will explore strategies for creating a network effect and thus grow engagement in the data space. Additionally, we will discuss the governance mechanisms in place to ensure trust, explore collaborative opportunities that promote mutual benefits, and address aligning these efforts with strategic goals such as sustainability and competitiveness.

• What regulatory frameworks underpin the operation of the Green Deal Data Space?
• What are the incentives to enter a data space?
• What kind of onboarding services would the data space provide? (trust, ID verification, visibility (marketplace model), technology/ operational compliance checks)

Organisational aspects:
In this discussion, we aim to explore the roles and responsibilities within the Green Deal Data Space, focusing on how both the public and private sectors can effectively act as data providers and users, while interacting in a way that supports secure and trustworthy data transactions meeting the the guidelines set by Data Space Support Centre and the legal provisions set by legislative initiatives like the Data Governance Act, Open Data Directive etc. Additionally, we seek to identify a suitable governance model that ensures the initiative not only remains functional, secure, and adaptable over time but also fosters trust, and inclusivity, with shared responsibilities across the ecosystem, thereby supporting Europe's green transition effectively.

• How and in what format should a functioning data space be established? (Public-private undertaking, members association, no-profit, private company, open-source community model….)
• What should be the role of the Commission and the public sector in the Green Deal Data Space?
• Who are the key stakeholders and how should stakeholder participation and decision-making be structured?
• What kind of disputes could emerge and what dispute resolution mechanisms should be in place?
• How will inclusivity, accountability and fairness be embedded into governance?
• What principles should a Code of Conduct include?