Recently, the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT) has increasingly been recognized as crucial for economic prosperity, human development, and well-being, along with sustainable development. World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum emphasizes the role of ICT adoption in sustainability, with due regard to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The research has largely documented favorable economic outcomes of increasing the use of ICT. However, the ecological dimensions of ICT have received the least attention in the literature. In effect, ICT has influenced human life from many perspectives including ecological aspects of life. The links of ICT with the environment are rather complex. On the one hand, ICT growth deteriorates the environment by increasing the production, use, and disposal of ICT products. For instance, increasing e-waste and larger use of energy in manufacturing cause adverse effects on the environment. The life cycle theory of ICT suggests that several stages of the life of ICT result in pollution. The life cycle of ICT-related products spans over “production, delivery, transport, use, and disposal”. On the other hand, ICT is considered a solution to reinforce environmental protection, mitigate the adverse impacts created in the environment by human activities, and address key environmental challenges such as climate change and sustainability.

ICT Innovations for Sustainability is an investigation of how information and communication technology can contribute to sustainable development. It presents clear definitions of sustainability, suggesting conceptual frameworks for the positive and negative effects of ICT on sustainable development. It reviews methods of assessing the direct and indirect impact of ICT systems on energy and materials demand, and examines the results of such assessments. In addition, it investigates ICT-based approaches to supporting sustainable patterns of production and consumption, analyzing them at various levels of abstraction – from end-user devices, Internet infrastructure, user behavior, and social practices to macro-economic indicators. Combining approaches from Computer Science, Information Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, Economics, and Environmental Sciences, the book presents a new, holistic perspective on ICT for Sustainability (ICT4S). It is an indispensable resource for anyone working in the area of ICT for Energy Efficiency, Life Cycle Assessment of ICT, Green IT, Green Information Systems, Environmental Informatics, Energy Informatics, Sustainable HCI, or Computational Sustainability.

Green Technologies: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications assembles the most up-to-date collection of research results and recent discoveries in environmental and green technology. This comprehensive anthology covers a wide range of topics, i

One of the few monitoring global trends related to information and communication technologies (ICTs) from a development perspective, this publication is a valuable reference for policymakers in developing countries. Special attention is given to ICTs in accelerating private sector development (PSD) in developing countries. Many national and donor strategies related to PSD fail to take adequate account of the ICT potential, which has greatly expanded thanks to changes in the global ICT landscape. Different facets of the ICT-PSD interface are explored, including: ICT infrastructure as a factor in the investment climate; ICT use by the private sector; the ICT sector as a part of the private sector, and finally, ICT use in interventions aimed at facilitating PSD.

Handbook on Trade and the Environment is a good source for those looking for a better understanding of political issues, of legal debates, and of the state of discussion between government, industry, NGO, and private sector groups on topics that are not often treated elsewhere. Judith M. Dean, World Trade Review I would recommend the book to anyone concerned with the interaction of trade and the environment. John Goodier, Reference Reviews In this comprehensive reference work, Kevin Gallagher has compiled a fresh and broad-ranging collection of expert voices commenting on the interdisciplinary field of trade and the environment. For over two decades policymakers and scholars have been struggling to understand the relationship between international trade in a globalizing world and its effects on the natural environment. The authors in this Handbook provide the tools to do just that. The editor s well-worked introduction synthesizes the emerging themes of the collection, which is divided into three sections: trade and environmental quality, trade and environmental politics, and trade and environmental policy. Topics include the extent to which trade liberalization creates pollution havens where dirty industries flock to poorer countries with lax environmental standards, and conversely, how multinational corporations bring cleaner environmental technologies to developing countries when they choose to move abroad. The volume also addresses the extent to which national environmental policy and/or global environmental agreements clash with the emerging rules of the World Trade Organization and whether such environmental policies hinder export competitiveness. Finally, numerous political economy analyses of the complex political coalitions that arise to adapt to and mitigate changes in trade and environmental policy are provided. In addition to broader overviews of the field, in-depth case studies of nations and regions are offered, including the United States, the European Union, China, India and Mexico as well East Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The volume will serve as a guide for scholars new to the field as well as students and policy-makers needing a quick reference to the research on the interface between trade and the environment.

ICTs and Sustainable Solutions for the Digital Divide: Theory and Perspectives focuses on Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D), which includes any technology used for communication and information. This publication researches the social side of computing, the users, and the design of systems that meet the needs of "ordinary" users.

Revolutionary information and communication technologies are contributing to dramatic changes in the competitiveness of global and local markets and in the way people conduct their business and everyday lives. The potential benefits and risks these changes present for developing countries and the economies in transition are enormous. This comprehensive, authoritative reference book examines the ways in which these powerful technologies are being harnessed to development goals, helping to reduce the risk of exclusion and create new opportunities for developing countries. The report emphasizes the urgency of developing new social and technological infrastructures to help ensure that new technologies are used effectively. It also also offers guidelines and practical steps that can be taken by stakeholders to shape their future innovative knowledge societies.