oeconomicum live – Wirtschaft erleben! Die Rolle digitaler Vernetzung für Wirtschaftswachstum und Nachhaltigkeit

The presentation by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Heimeshoff (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf) analyzes the impact of digital connectivity on growth and sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and OECD countries. Digital infrastructure increases per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in both regions, particularly strongly in SSA, while diminishing returns are observed in the OECD. The environmental impacts differ: In the OECD, emissions rise due to energy-intensive networks, whereas in SSA the effects are smaller and primarily driven by mobile communications. Overall, connectivity promotes development but requires accompanying energy and regulatory policies to ensure sustainability, as well as context-specific policy measures to reduce emissions and improve efficiency.