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The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, emergence of new technologies such as blockchain, growing importance of big data and similar developments have a potential to disrupt the world as we know it today. While the technological development during the so-called fourth industrial revolution accelerates more rapidly in comparison to the past, the society will need to try hard to keep up with it and to make conscious effort to harness the technology in a manner that serves its needs and interests. For this reason, it is necessary to subject the emerging technologies to a scrutiny and to examine their implications not only from an economic point of view, but also from the perspective of human rights, environmental protection and democratic governance.

The common denominator of these emerging technologies is their pervasiveness and wide-ranging implications. For this reason, it is possible to perceive these issues in the broader context of civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural rights. For instance, blockchain technology, which is mostly associated with cryptocurrencies, can contribute to the financial empowerment and financial inclusion of the people in developing countries and collapsing economies. The digital wallet enables to gain access to global markets even for people without bank account. Blockchain technology can be utilized also to establish digital identity, which might be especially useful for the people fleeing from conflict regions. From the perspective of protection of critical information infrastructure, the decentralized character of blockchain technology has valuable cybersecurity implications.

On the other hand, new technological developments bear certain environmental risks as well. For instance, some experts warn of increasing pollution through more electronic waste, which can be associated also with generally environment-friendly technologies in the field of renewable energy, such as solar energy. When assessing the benefits of blockchain technology from the perspective of sustainable development, it is necessary to preserve a balanced view as well.With respect to blockchain technology, this means the consideration of high energy consumption associated with mining as well as alternatives enabling these technologies to function without taking too much toll on the environment.

Technologies like blockchain are based on trust, which is also one of the main ingredients for the functioning of the society and for the preservation of social order.Crises of any kind (economic, political, war etc.) have the potential to shake the trust of the people in established and centralized systems. For instance,the economic crisis can decrease the trust of the people in banking system and shift their attention to alternative decentralized systems, such as cryptocurrencies. The trust in decentralized systems can also significantly influence the way how we understand governance systems. For instance,decentralized energy microgrids establishing direct channels between energy consumers and small energy producers can lead to the empowerment of small self-sufficient communities, which can have also implications for the governance at local level in general.

Problems associated with AI ranging from ethical, social to economic matters have been noticed by countless scholars in the last decade. Moreover, there is a need to examine the interplay between AI and fields such as environmental law and natural resources management. Indeed, it is impossible to imagine an entire AI revolution that would not affect these sectors. AI has the potential to contribute to a better management of the negative impacts resulting from climate change, enhance food security and so on. Considering that the focus sofar has been placed mainly on ethical and economic aspects of these technologies, the issues mentioned above have not been subjected to rigorous analysis yet. Hence, gLAWcal ETIS Research initiative aims to initiate an interdisciplinary debate regarding the synergies between AI and other emerging technologies and matters relevant from the perspective of sustainable development.

Along with AI, big data is becoming a very important issue that is being discussed in the private sphere. For instance, its relevance prompted the European Union (EU) to adopt the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR),which is considered to represent one of the most progressive legislative texts on the protection of privacy in this regard. Still, even this form of protection is considered by many as insufficient considering the complexity of issues to be dealt with.

Moreover, the impact of big data in the environmental field remains underexamined in literature and requires further research. The concept of big data has the potential to play important role in water, energy and agricultural sectors as well as in the efforts to tackle climate change.

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Considering the research gap on this front, gLAWcal ETIS Research initiative aims to pay attention to the interplay between big data and international environmental law and regulatory aspects related therewith.