Progress on Internet Governance

The document evaluates the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) as a pioneering multi-stakeholder mechanism for global Internet governance. It argues that the IGF should be maintained because it defuses tensions over the U.S. oversight of ICANN and provides an open space for developing countries to address issues like access, security, and open standards. The report suggests that the 'Internet model'—characterized by shared ownership and bottom-up collaboration—could provide valuable lessons for the governance of other critical technologies, including those related to climate change and geo-engineering. It concludes by recommending that a second mandate for the IGF should focus on better integrating developing country concerns and mainstreaming sustainable development goals.

• The IGF has served as a critical 'safety valve' by creating a beneficial 'ceasefire' in international disputes regarding the United States' oversight of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
• There is a specific opportunity to apply the IGF's multi-stakeholder dialogue model to climate change governance, particularly regarding geo-engineering and the reframing of 'technology transfer' as 'technology cooperation'.
• Developing countries face significant technical and financial barriers to Internet connectivity, including the high cost of international links due to a lack of local Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) and the financial burden of transitioning from IPv4 to IPv6.
• China has explicitly opposed extending the IGF's mandate beyond its initial five-year term, arguing that the forum is insufficient to resolve the 'monopoly control' by the U.S. over critical Internet resources and that developing countries lack the capacity to participate effectively.
• The report identifies a troubling trend toward Internet fragmentation, citing China's creation of its own sub-internet in 2006 as an affront to seamless international connectivity.

APA

Vetter, T., Andjelkovic, M., & Creech, H. (2009). Progress on Internet Governance. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/innovation_tech_governance.pdf

Chicago

Vetter, Tony, Maja Andjelkovic, and Heather Creech. Progress on Internet Governance. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/innovation_tech_governance.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Vetter |first1=Tony |last2=Andjelkovic |first2=Maja |last3=Creech |first3=Heather |title=Progress on Internet Governance |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=July 2009 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/innovation_tech_governance.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vetter2009progress, author = {Vetter, Tony and Andjelkovic, Maja and Creech, Heather}, title = {{Progress on Internet Governance}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/innovation_tech_governance.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }