Social Networking and Governance for Sustainable Development

The report examines the role of social networking sites (SNSs) in advancing sustainable development, categorizing them into mainstream, niche, and professional platforms. It argues that while mainstream sites often 'dumb down' sustainability to low-cost virtual actions, niche and professional networks can foster deeper expertise and collaboration. The author contrasts two governance perspectives: rational democratic governance, which views SNSs with caution due to their lack of structure, and adaptive governance, which sees them as essential tools for social learning and breaking institutional silos. The document concludes that for SNSs to improve governance, there must be a shift toward open data, diverse platforms, and a move beyond simple fundraising applications.

• Social networking sites (SNSs) are categorized into three main types used for sustainable development: mainstream sites (personal and professional), niche sustainable development SNSs (stand-alone or hosted), and other Web 2.0 sites with SNS features.
• Mainstream SNSs facilitate the rapid spread of sustainable development concepts through 'social contagion' and peer learning, though they often simplify action to low-cost virtual gestures, such as sending virtual plants to trigger corporate donations.
• Professional SNSs, specifically LinkedIn, enable the creation of targeted communities of practice for sustainable development, such as the 'Offshore Wind Professionals' group, which connects diverse industry stakeholders.
• Niche sustainable development SNSs provide more specialized tools than mainstream sites, including carbon calculators and action guides, though many struggle with long-term viability due to a lack of marketing and business expertise.
• Government agencies have remained largely invisible and inactive on SNSs, often blocking them in the workplace, which hinders the cross-departmental collaboration necessary for holistic sustainable development governance.
• From a rational democratic governance (RDG) perspective, SNSs are viewed with skepticism because they lack the intellectual rigour and structure required for formal policy analysis and orderly development processes.
• From an adaptive governance perspective, SNSs are seen as critical for social learning and transformation because they facilitate 'weak ties' that bring novel information and break down institutional barriers.
• To maximize the governance benefits of SNSs, the report recommends that organizations adopt a multi-platform presence, developers move beyond simple fundraising games toward data-driven applications, and governments embrace open data.

APA

Willard, T. (2009). Social Networking and Governance for Sustainable Development. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/social_net_gov.pdf

Chicago

Willard, Terri. Social Networking and Governance for Sustainable Development. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/social_net_gov.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Willard |first1=Terri |title=Social Networking and Governance for Sustainable Development |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=March 2009 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/social_net_gov.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{willard2009social, author = {Willard, Terri}, title = {{Social Networking and Governance for Sustainable Development}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/social_net_gov.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }