Cascais will be the stage for the 3rd edition of the Digital with Purpose Global Summit 2024, an event which brings together 300 world leaders, takes place between the 9th and 11th of July at the Estoril Congress Center.

Digital with Purpose Global Summit, organized by the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GsSI) aims to accelerate the adoption of digital innovations that benefit society and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the Organization of United Nations by 2030.

This year, the global summit presents a new topic for debate: Sustainable Finance, which completes the already established agenda of Biodiversity, Education, and Smart and Sustainable Cities.



The event includes known speakers such as Helena de Freitas (UNESCO Chair), Veerle Vandeweerd (co-founder of COVIDEA) and Giorgia Rambelli (Director of Mission Innovation Urban Transitions Mission of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy - GCoM).

The city of Cascais is the obvious venue for the event due to its worldwide recognition as one of the most sustainable and intelligent villages, providing an inspiring environment for discussions about sustainability. The 2024 edition aims to strengthen the connection between the city and sustainability, bringing citizens closer to the issues discussed and, therefore, the Cascais City Council recognized full relevance in the event, placing itself at the forefront of discussing themes of the future and digital. The event has a main stage and an innovation stage, as well as round tables, workshops and two “Night Summit Dialogues” sessions open to the public.

Digital with Purpose Global Summit 2024 will discuss important topics such as the role of digital in water management, ethical and human-centric issues related to the rapid advances in Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), and the potential of Gaming as an educational tool.

Digital With Purpose's mission is to catalyze change, by inspiring action and forging partnerships that transcend industries and borders. The team and partners unite under a common goal: to make technology a force for sustainable good. DWP's four commitments for this Summit are to

• Foster Sustainability by aligning with the UN sustainable Goals to create a balanced ecosystem where technology respects and enhances our natural world;
  
• Accelerate Digital Innovation by championing cutting-edge solutions that address the urgent challenges of our times;
  
• Cultivate Collaboration by uniting governments, businesses, NGOs and citizens in a shared pursuit of digital solutions that benefit all society; and finally
  
• Promote Inclusivity by building a platform that wellcomes diverse voices, encourages active participation, and values every contribution towards a sustainable world.
  

Digital With Purpose Programme will focus on the 4 areas metioned above:

1. Biodiversity Futures

This year’s DWP will again have a strong focus on biodiversity knowledge and conservation through its Biodiversity Futures Track.

The manifesto Digital Ways for Biodiversity Conservation: priorities and recommendations for a shared agenda that resulted from the DWP Global Summit 2023, in Lisbon, identified a set of key actions and recommendations for technology and science stakeholders on how to accelerate the role of digital technologies in biodiversity knowledge and protection.

DWP will result of in-depth discussions, diverse perspectives, and collaboration during the conference. With an unwavering commitment to addressing biodiversity loss and harm, this manifesto aims to provide technology and science stakeholders with recommendations on how to accelerate the role of digital technologies in biodiversity knowledge and conservation.

2. Education

Digital as an Enabler to Improve the Education System is the second milestone in our journey towards actionable change.

That is why this year’s DWP Global Summit 2024 will again have a strong focus on education through its Education Track. Representatives of the private sector and all relevant stakeholders – governments and international organisations, teachers, students, technology developers, educational entrepreneurs, employers – will come together for a series of plenary discussions, roundtables and workshops on a range of education related topics.

3. Smart and Sustainable Cities

Cities are home to more than half of the global population and account for more than 70% of final global energy consumption and these figures are expected to rise. The climate and energy challenge is an urban one, and cities are essential to achieve a sustainable transition to a climate neutral, resilient world.

This year's DWP Global Summit 2024 will focus on how we can accelerate the identification and effective implementation of innovative technologies, policies, financial instruments, and business models, as well as cooperative approaches and products from culture and creative industries.

Digital solutions, collaborations, innovative governance and financing approaches will be presented and discussed throughout the sessions. The conversation will offer cross-cutting insights on the role of digital solutions in advancing cities’ journey to a net-zero, resilient future, singling out new and ambitious ways forward to build effective partnerships and reach this goal.

4. Sustainable Finance

The DWP 2024 ‘Sustainable Finance’ agenda will cover the following three main aspects:

1. Thee European Green Deal, (EU Sustainable Finance Framework auspices), which aims for wide-scale adoption of environmental, social and governance considerations in investment decisions to propel the transition towards a Green economy; the transition to a climate-neutral and sustainable economy by 2050 offers new opportunities across the EU.
   
2. Sustainable Finance products, Green Equities, Green Debts, and Green Loans. What is available, why the rise of these investment vehicles, and how to access these? Legal and Regulatory frameworks.
   
3. Success stories – the importance of sustainable finance is pivotal to achieving a Green Economy and Sustainable Livelihoods through Green investment and loans Aligning financial goals with ecological responsibility is fundamental to fostering brighter, greener futures.
   

Digital with Purpose has the High Patronage of His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

You can register to the event here.