ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) are widely regarded as enablers of “green growth” in various sectors of the economy and important means to tackle environmental challenges such as climate change. ICT systems enable more sustainable production and consumption processes (ranging from product-specific improvements to entire “smart systems” e.g. in transport or buildings) and have the potential to influence consumer choice and behaviour (e.g. reduced travel needs through telework; change of driving behaviour and energy use patterns through “smart technologies”). At the same time, ICT are expanding the use of technology, which leads to increased energy consumption and ICT also have considerably direct environmental impacts in terms of materials throughput and end-of-life treatment. Hence, there are various puzzling questions raised within the ICT domain with regards to its contribution to economic growth and sustainable consumption.

Barriers, limits and constraints to adaptation are increasingly discussed within the scientific community on adaptation to climate change. Empirical and theoretical research is currently being undertaken in multiple studies and disciplines. Current research focuses on regions, sectors or organizations in both developing and developed countries. Since institutional, political and economic settings are diverse, the problems encountered in adaptation to climate change also differ greatly.