The Information Society and Sustainable Development

The document examines how information and communication technology (ICT) can be harnessed for sustainable development while warning of negative environmental impacts and the need for policy coherence.

• There is a significant lack of interaction between policy communities focused on the information society (often led by telecommunications and economic development specialists) and those focused on sustainable development (primarily environment ministries), which reinforces stereotypes of both fields.
• Environmental Information Systems (EIS), including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), can improve decision-making by enhancing data availability and consistency, though global data aggregations are often inadequate without higher resolution national and sub-national data.
• ICTs can drive eco-efficiency through dematerialization (replacing physical products with services), transportation substitution (telework and video-conferencing), and increased efficiency in industrial production and building management.
• The 'rebound effect' poses a risk where eco-efficiency gains lead to lower product prices, which in turn stimulates increased demand and total resource use, potentially negating environmental benefits.
• The information society has primary negative environmental impacts throughout the ICT product life cycle, including the mining of precious metals, chemical usage in manufacturing, and the rapid growth of electronic waste, which is increasing three times faster than average municipal waste.
• Sustainable consumption requires both a 'consciousness strategy' to increase public environmental awareness and a 'frameworks strategy' involving laws and taxes that reward environmentally friendly behavior.
• Access to information and public participation, as affirmed in Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration and the Aarhus Convention, are essential for government accountability and integrating environmental values into development.
• ICT tools such as poverty mapping can improve the distribution of resources and increase transparency in public decision-making, as seen in cases in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Cambodia, Brazil, and Panama.
• National policies for the information society and sustainable development are frequently developed in isolation within separate ministerial silos, leading to missed opportunities for integration in national development plans.

APA

Willard, T., & Halder, M. (2003). The Information Society and Sustainable Development. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_sd_exploring_linkages.pdf

Chicago

Willard, Terri, and Michael Halder. The Information Society and Sustainable Development. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2003. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_sd_exploring_linkages.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Willard |first1=Terri |last2=Halder |first2=Michael |title=The Information Society and Sustainable Development |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2003 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_sd_exploring_linkages.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{willard2003information, author = {Willard, Terri and Halder, Michael}, title = {{The Information Society and Sustainable Development}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2003}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_sd_exploring_linkages.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }