Information and Communication Technologies for a more Sustainable World

2011 ◽  
pp. 410-418
Author(s):  
Lorenz M. Hilty
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Structural Change ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Transfer Mode ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Negative Impacts

As has been discussed for decades, a reduction of the input of natural resources into industrial production and consumption by a factor of 4-10 is a necessary condition for Sustainable Development. This paper discusses the potential contribution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to such a dematerialization of the industrial societies and introduces a conceptual framework which accounts for positive and negative impacts of ICT on physical flows. This framework addresses three levels: the ICT life cycle itself, life cycles of other products influenced by ICT applications, and patterns of production and consumption. The conclusion is that ICT will only contribute to Sustainable Development if this technology is recognized and used as an enabler of a deep structural change; a transition towards an economic system in which value-creation is mainly based on information processing while keeping the physical properties of material within some limits that ensure that it can be recycled. This structural change will include the transition from a material-property-transfer mode to a service-transfer mode of consumption in areas where this is technically feasible and beneficial in terms of resource productivity. In such a post-industrial society, which may also be called a sustainable information society, open technological standards will play a crucial role, since they allow for complexity reduction while keeping competition alive, thus minimizing the risk of unmastered complexity in new critical infrastructures.

Information and Communication Technologies for a more Sustainable World

2011 ◽  
pp. 36-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenz M. Hilty
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Structural Change ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Transfer Mode ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Negative Impacts

As has been discussed for decades, a reduction of the input of natural resources into industrial production and consumption by a factor of 4-10 is a necessary condition for Sustainable Development. This paper discusses the potential contribution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to such a dematerialization of the industrial societies and introduces a conceptual framework which accounts for positive and negative impacts of ICT on physical flows. This framework addresses three levels: the ICT life cycle itself, life cycles of other products influenced by ICT applications, and patterns of production and consumption. The conclusion is that ICT will only contribute to Sustainable Development if this technology is recognized and used as an enabler of a deep structural change; a transition towards an economic system in which value-creation is mainly based on information processing while keeping the physical properties of material within some limits that ensure that it can be recycled. This structural change will include the transition from a material-property-transfer mode to a service-transfer mode of consumption in areas where this is technically feasible and beneficial in terms of resource productivity. In such a post-industrial society, which may also be called a sustainable information society, open technological standards will play a crucial role, since they allow for complexity reduction while keeping competition alive, thus minimizing the risk of unmastered complexity in new critical infrastructures.

scholarly journals Tools of Information and Communication Technologies in Ecological Marketing under Conditions of Sustainable Development in Industrial Regions (Through Examples of Poland and Ukraine)

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 238
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Kuzior ◽  
Alla Lobanova
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Development Strategy ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Empirical Observation ◽  
Industrial Enterprises ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Industrial Regions ◽  
The Impact

This scientific work analyzes the current state and problems of implementing the concept of sustainable development in industrial regions, in particular, in Poland and Ukraine. Emphasis is placed on slowing down the implementation of the main provisions of this doctrine, in particular, the violation of environmental requirements and non-compliance with ecological standards by industrial enterprises. The aim of the article is to find effective innovative tools for intensifying the process of implementing the strategy of sustainable development in industrial regions. The paper uses theoretical methods—analysis and synthesis, formalization, hypothetical-deductive modeling, mental modeling, systematization and generalization—as well as empirical: observation, description and comparison. The main result of the work is the substantiation of the scientific idea that the implementation of a sustainable development strategy in industrial regions is possible by intensifying the process of ecological marketing through the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT) and their innovative tools—methodologies, digital systems, the Internet, cloud technologies, and systems of product design, manufacture and sale—due to accelerated communication links. The authors’ approach to the development of the mechanism of creation and functioning of the single information space (field) of the ecological marketing of the industrial region is offered in this work, and also, the classification of modern ICT and their tools, which it is expedient to use in this mechanism, is carried out. Their purpose and the expected results from the introduction of ecological products for market research, the development of ecological technologies for the life cycles of ecological products and, thus, the impact on the acceleration of sustainable development in industrial regions are determined.

scholarly journals Usability Analysis of Andalusian Spas’ Websites

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2307
Author(s):  
Rosa Anaya-Aguilar ◽  
German Gemar ◽  
Carmen Anaya-Aguilar
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Web Technologies ◽  
New Information ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Exploratory Investigation ◽  
Usability Analysis ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Tourism Websites

Health tourism is booming all over the world, and thermal spa tourism in Spain is a type of tourism aimed at integrating with nature, achieving sustainable development. In general, its facilities are located in areas specially protected by environmental legislation. This tourism sector attracts an increasingly wide market segment that has become more demanding and better informed and that more frequently uses the Internet to gather information. Tourists’ shopping and consumption habits are increasingly influenced by new information and communication technologies (ICTs), making these a topic of interest among academics and professionals. Website development has been shown to be an area of innovation for spa facilities, but evidence has also been found that this sector has experienced difficulty in adopting ICTs. This research sought to analyse spa websites’ usability by conducting an exploratory investigation of different websites’ contents. The results reveal that the use of new web technologies by spas is underdeveloped, although these facilities have achieved good positions in Internet search engines due to the synergistic effect of the official tourism websites. That is why most of them tell their story, detail their nature and the protection of their spaces. In this way, spas turn their websites into communication channels that convey to tourists their commitment to the environment and sustainable development.

scholarly journals Sustainable development of the universities in the 21st century

2021 ◽  
Vol 250 ◽  
pp. 04010
Author(s):  
Vyacheslav Ilgov ◽  
Zhanna Gardanova ◽  
Natalya Nikitina
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
High Penetration ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Global Environmental Changes

Our paper aims at assessing the sustainable development of the universities in the 21st century that is market by globalization, high penetration of information and communication technologies as well as global environmental changes. The paper stresses that the higher education is undergoing profound changes in its role and its position in the society and should focus its attention to the environmental challenges and the fight again the global warming. Higher education is ripe for reforms that are not intended to disrupt its main goals and its very essence but that might help it to modernize its approaches to achieving the up-to-date objectives that would maximize its contribution to the development of the society. Therefore, it appears that governments and the civil society alike should put more effort into embedding the sustainable development principles as well as sustainable development goals (SDG) into the educational curricular of the universities regardless to their geographical location.

scholarly journals Information and communication technologies and gender in climate change and green economy: Situating women’s opportunities and challenges in Zambian policies and strategies

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Justina Namukombo
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Green Economy ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Participation Of Women ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
And Gender

Zambia’s 2012 report on the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO +20) identifies existing opportunities on the country’s transitioning to green economy. The RIO +20 conference of 2012 has resulted in new momentum in addressing problems of sustainable development. However, this article argues that there are practical challenges that require paying attention to, especially those involving women. The article addressed one key question: To what extent can women participate in the transitioning process to green economy in Zambia and what opportunities and challenges exists? The study used document analysis to answer the above question. National policy documents were reviewed to understand interventions on environmental management. Whilst going through the documents, the study used gender analysis frameworks (education, skills, roles in family and society, access to infrastructure) to bring out qualitative and quantitative information on women. Using suggested green economy interventions in the literature as benchmark, qualitative analysis was used to project possible participation of women in green economy activities and possible challenges to be faced. The study found that participation of women will be limited despite existing opportunities because of challenges of access to information and communication technology infrastructures, low educational levels and skills and financial constraints. As Zambia undergoes a transitioning process, these limitations should be addressed in planned green economy policies and interventions to maximise benefits.Keywords: Green economy; Gender; Policies; Strategies; ICT; Zambia

Assessment of investment attractiveness for regional sustainable development using methods of economic, statistical and factor analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 65-81
Author(s):  
Svetlana L. Lozhkina ◽  
Alexander A. Novikov ◽  
Elena A. Chepkasova ◽  
Elena V. Novikova
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Financial Resources ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Fundamental Goal ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Regional Sustainable Development

The modern stage of civilizational processes puts forward "sustainable development" as the fundamental goal, considering this the most important vector of promising transformations of human society. This stage of globalization development reveals the need to make the above processes not spontaneous, but controlled, which can be implemented, inter alia, through a qualitative transformation of tools and technologies used to monitor and predict the development of individual territories. The article presents a methodology for a comprehensive assessment of the investment attractiveness of a region using methods of integrated statistical assessment, including methods of descriptive analysis, and using the method of factor analysis. This method allows monitoring the level of development of information and communication technologies in the region as a whole, as well as in the context of individual types of economic activity in order to determine the main points of bifurcation for the concentration of financial resources in the development of ICT and increase the investment potential of the region as a whole.

Digital sustainability: how information and communication technologies (ICTs) support sustainable development goals (SDGs) assessment in municipalities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daielly Melina Nassif Mantovani Ribeiro ◽  
Flavio Hourneaux Junior ◽  
Cristiana Lara Lara Cunha ◽  
Patricia Taeko Taeko Kaetsu ◽  
Patricia Fernanda Dionizio-Leite ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Public Management ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Sustainable City ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Development Goals

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the effective assessment of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) related to smart and sustainable city initiatives. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a systematic review of the literature within the Web of Science and Scopus databases, comprising the studies about ICTs related to smart and sustainable city initiatives and sustainable assessment. Findings The main results point out that there are several different ways of assessing SDGs performance related to ICTs use in smart and sustainable city initiatives. However, the effectiveness of these assessments can be questioned. The intensive use of technology understood as the core of smart and sustainable cities does not imply an improvement in sustainability unless these technologies are strategically addressed to underpin those objectives. Moreover, not all SDGs have considered the use of ICTs in their targets. Research limitations/implications The scope of the study is limited to “how” the information is used and managed, rather than analysing the sustainable performance itself. As a limitation, the findings and conclusions do not consider other sources of studies, such as grey literature. Practical implications This study suggests some requirements for providing better and more reliable sustainable assessment, making smart and sustainable city initiatives more correlated with the SDGs. Social implications By acknowledging the difficulties associated with SDGs assessment, concerning the municipal level, the study offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of public policies and public management. Besides, the findings shed some light on if and how the use of ICTs can effectively enhance sustainable development issues. Originality/value This study offers valuable contributions to the literature by providing a collection of insights regarding how the ICTs may genuinely lead to a sound assessment of sustainable development, especially regarding the SDGs.

THE NEED TO IMPLEMENT AUTOMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (64) ◽  
pp. 67-69
Author(s):  
G. Golovko ◽  
M. Borozdin ◽  
Y. Tokar
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Strategic Management ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Work Process ◽  
Management Activity ◽  
Nature Of Information ◽  
Information And Communication

This article highlights the need and importance of using an information system in the modern restaurant business. The nature of information systems and the tasks they can perform are presented. The direction of introduction of information and communication technologies and automation in management activity of restaurants is considered. The dependence of the efficiency of the food establishment on the correctly automated work process is determined. It has been proven that the use of information systems is a necessary condition for modern restaurants and contributes to the adoption of strategic management decisions to increase competitiveness and create an appropriate and efficient infrastructure.

Structural Change and the Environment

2021 ◽  
pp. 622-647
Author(s):  
Giovanni Marin ◽  
Massimiliano Mazzanti
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Structural Change ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Consumption Patterns ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Empirical Results ◽  
Sustainability Analysis ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Empirical Analysis

The objective of this chapter is to evaluate the contribution of structural change to production and consumption patterns with respect to sustainability analysis, with specific reference to sustainable production and consumption issues. In the face of delocalization processes and value chain restructuring, the analysis of sustainable development should instead provide both consumption and production dimensions. In the empirical analysis, the authors consider four measures of emission intensity: consumption-based emissions, consumption-based emissions due to structural change, production-based emissions, and production-based emissions due to structural change. The empirical results suggest a moderate contribution of structural change to decreases in overall emissions.

“ICT Is for Boys”

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Erica Norstedt ◽  
Annika Andersson ◽  
Evylyn Pettersson ◽  
Simon Klintestrand
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Equal Opportunities ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Ict Use ◽  
Information And Communication

There is worldwide consensus on how important women are for development where gender equality is seen as a prerequisite for sustainable development. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are seen as one of the most promising tools for the empowerment of women in developing countries. Men and women therefore need to have equal opportunities to access and use ICTs. Here, the authors, however, find a huge gender gap, and the reasons for this gap are still not fully understood or investigated. The purpose of this study is therefore to further investigate the reasons for this gap in ICT use. Based on a review of existing literature, as well as interviews with men and women from developing countries, the main finding is that the impeding factor underlying all barriers described in the literature relates to social norms. Based on this insight, the authors end the paper by discussing implications for research and practice.

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