Paper short abstract:

This study analyses how the new EU's Forest Monitoring law translates green objectives into digital governance, focusing on tensions between technological integration and environmental policy, sovereignty issues, and the pursuit of aligning strategies.

Paper long abstract:

As part of its grand strategy, the European Green Deal, the European Commission has proposed a comprehensive Forest Monitoring Law (FM) representing a shift towards datafied environmental governance. This legislation aims to establish a unified framework for collecting and analyzing forest data, underscoring the EU's commitment to integrating digital technologies with environmental policy objectives. However, translating these green goals into digital means—through remote sensing and the Copernicus satellite program—raises critical questions about the nature of policy translation, the assemblage of technical and political elements, and the inherent tensions in digitalizing environmental stewardship.

Informed by the "politics of translation" (by Clark and others), this paper uses the FM as a focal point to analyse the nuanced process of translating policy goals into digital solutions. It explores how the FM synthesizes diverse components, such as data standards, interoperability, and emerging technologies, to create a cohesive response to environmental challenges. Furthermore, it scrutinizes the political disputes arising from this process, particularly the clash between environmental conservation, economic exploitation, and data sovereignty, highlighting member states' resistance to standardized EU monitoring due to concerns over national sovereignty and knowledge control.

Contributing to discussions on the intersection of the EU's digital and environmental strategies, this analysis underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of politics of translation. It advocates for a refined approach that recognizes the intricacies of aligning digital strategies with the Green Deal's objectives, spotlighting both the challenges and opportunities in navigating the digital environmental future.