Industry 4.0 and Climate Change (eBook)

At present, both Industry 4.0 and industrial engineering management developments are reshaping the industrial sector worldwide. Industry 4.0 and sustainability are considered as the crucial emerging trends in industrial production systems. The resulting transformations are changing production modes from traditional to digital, intelligent, and decentralized. It is expected that Industry 4.0 will help drive sustainability in industries thanks to the implementation of advanced technology and a move towards social sustainability. This book reflects on the consequences of the transition to Industry 4.0 for climate change. The book presents a systemic overview of the current negative impacts of digitization on the environment and showcases a new outline of the energy domain and expected changes in environmental pollution levels under Industry 4.0. It also analyzes the ecological consequences of the growth and development of Industry 4.0 and considers Industry 4.0 as an alternative to fighting climate change, in the sense of shifting the global community's attention from environmental protection to consolidation of the digital economy. This book will be of interest to academicians and practitioners in the fields of climate change and development of Industry 4.0, and it will contribute to national economic policies for fighting climate change and corporate strategies of sustainable development under Industry 4.0.