Bits & Bäume 2025: Sustainability Meets Digitalisation is organised by the Bits & Bäume Alliance, a broad coalition of German civil society organisations, environmental groups, digital rights advocates, and academic institutions that work at the intersection of digitalisation and sustainability. The conference takes place from 28 to 30 November 2025 in Berlin and brings together the technology and environmental movements for a critical examination of how digital tools can serve — or hinder — ecological and social sustainability.
The Bits & Bäume (Bits & Trees) movement was born in Berlin in 2018, emerging from the recognition that the technology and sustainability communities needed to work together more closely. The alliance includes organisations such as the Chaos Computer Club, BUND (Friends of the Earth Germany), Germanwatch, and the Weizenbaum Institute, among others. Their annual conference has become one of Germany's most important events for discussing the societal implications of technology.
Key themes include smart city energy transitions and how digital infrastructure can support urban decarbonisation, circular economy platforms that use technology to reduce waste and extend product lifecycles, and the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure itself — from data centre energy consumption to the resource intensity of electronic devices. Sessions also address digital sovereignty, open-source alternatives to proprietary platforms, and the potential of community-owned technology infrastructure.
The programme features keynote speeches, interactive workshops, hackathons, and art installations that make complex topics accessible and engaging. For technologists concerned about environmental impact, sustainability professionals interested in digital tools, and citizens seeking to understand the relationship between digitalisation and the ecological crisis, Bits & Bäume provides a unique and thought-provoking space for interdisciplinary dialogue and action.