Information And Communications Technologies

This chapter discusses new environmental challenges arising from the widespread use of information and communications technologies (ICT) and the negative impacts of ICTs resulting from the changing nature of wealth generation, global economic integration and regulatory arbitrage. It explains where ICTs promote corporate environmental transparency, the development of industrial ecology, and online communities and offers some concluding thoughts on the overall impact of ICTs on sustainable development. ICTs deepen the integration of national economies by moving beyond traditional trade-based linkages to ever more complex and deeper raw material sourcing, production linkages, market linkages and financial flows. The advent of ICTs has made the establishing of close ties among buyers, suppliers and other strategic stakeholders easier. ICTs make the sourcing of supplies from different firms in multiple jurisdictions possible, including countries with lower environmental standards. It is important to keep in mind, however, that ICTs can also be used to promote sustainable development.