13 propositions on an internet for a "burning world"

Abstract

In this paper, we outline thirteen propositions on the state of the Internet and digital infrastructures. The core of our theses is that the centralizing Internet of today will not be sustainable and resilient, neither in terms of its energy needs nor in the face of a "burning world", i.e., the rapidly changing world, facing an unprecedented human-made climate disaster and countless other shifts we currently find ourselves living in. Furthermore, we highlight that ongoing policy decisions do not necessarily benefit the resilience of the Internet in the future to come. Our propositions are based on our own research contributions published in the past, public discourse, and most certainly rooted in system administration lore and our own experience as system administrators. They are intentionally bold, to form a foundation for discussion, and we make no personal claim to originality and completeness. Finally, we note that, they do not aim at providing simple solutions, but hint at interrelations and challenges we must resolve to survive the future to come.