The history of Bits & Bäume

Movements that campaign for a good digital life for all often work separately to movements that campaign for environmental and climate protection or for a globally just economy. In 2017, this observation strengthened a small group of people who shared the belief that more can be achieved together. This process paved the way for a new network that aimed bring digitalisation and sustainability closer: the Bits & Bäume panel of supporters was formed consisting of the organisations Brot für die Welt, Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland, Chaos Computer Club, Deutscher Naturschutzring, Forum InformatikerInnen für Frieden und gesellschaftliche Verantwortung, Germanwatch, Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung, Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie, Open Knowledge Foundation Deutschland and Technische Universität Berlin.

Diskussionen über mögliche Strategien für das Superwahljahr 2024

Under the slogan "We bring communities together!", the panel of supporters organised the first Bits & Bäume conference in Berlin. People from the critical tech scene (bits) and the sustainability scene (trees/Bäume) met at TU Berlin to get to know, inspire and learn from each other. With around 2,000 participants and more than 120 contributions, the two-day event can be considered a huge success. Following the conference, the book "Was Bits und Bäume verbindet“ ("What connects Bits and Trees", only available in German) was published, in which more than 50 authors provide thought-provoking ideas for a socio-ecological transformation in digital times and demonstrate the urgency of rethinking digital technologies and their application.

Numerous decentralised events followed, such as the "Forum Bits & Bäume discussion series or appearances at CCC events such as the annual Congress or the Chaos Communication Camp. Not only members of the supporting organisations but also the Bits & Bäume Community publicly advocate ideas on how sustainable digitalisation can succeed. Regional groups (branches) have been founded in all parts of Germany. Regional branches of the conference are even sprouting up in North Rhine-Westphalia, 2023, and Saarland, 2024.

After the first Bits & Bäume conference in 2018 focused primarily on networking, the next step followed in 2022: the second conference in Berlin concentrated more on political work and on the internationalising the movement. In addition to civil society and academia, more political decision-makers and young entrepreneurs who want to help shape sustainable digitalisation were invited. With even more participants and a significantly expanded programme, the Bits & Bäume conference was raised to a new level. Accompanied by a lively cultural supporting programme, the conference offered a variety of workshops, lectures and discussion formats, hands-on opportunities and informative events as well as quiet exchange and networking spaces for over 2,500 participants. The three-day event ended with a call to action by the organisers and the presentation of the jointly developed political demands "Making digitalisation sustainable and fit for the future".

To consolidate the network, a Bits & Bäume coordination office was set up in 2023. It supports cooperation between the supporting organisations and with the community. The central pillars of its work are supporting strategic planning and communication, coordinating content-related and political work and organising events and exchange spaces.