ICTs & Socio-Economic Development: Environmental Sustainability Report

This report delves into the critical role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in fostering socio-economic development, with a specific emphasis on environmental sustainability. It begins with an introduction to ICTs and their impact on global development, highlighting the growing concern over environmental sustainability in the face of rapid urbanization and business growth. The literature review explores the challenges and opportunities of achieving sustainable development goals, particularly in regions like Africa, where resource limitations and climate change pose significant threats. The report then examines the goal of environmental sustainability, defining its importance and the role of ICT in achieving it, using South Africa as a case study. It analyzes the current environmental challenges faced by South Africa and how ICT practices can contribute to solutions. The report also discusses the challenges of implementing ICT and factors affecting sustainability goals, followed by recommendations for ICT4D policy to enhance sustainability practices, and concludes with a summary of the key findings and suggestions for future research and implementation.

ICTs and Socio-Economic
Development

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW ...............................................................................................................1
Goal overview: Environmental sustainability ............................................................................2
Case study background: Need of ICT framework in Africa to encourage sustainability...........4
Role and analysis of ICT practices in goal achievement ...........................................................5
Green ICT framework for improving sustainability in South Africa .........................................7
Challenges in implementing ICT and factors affecting sustainability goals ..............................8
Recommendations for ICT4D policy ..............................................................................................8
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Information and communication technology (ICT) is known as the computing
infrastructure which is capable to manage telecommunication system, monitor and control the
functions and making effective transmission systems. With the help of digital technology based
tools and systems the business organisations are reaching new levels of growth all over the world
without limiting to any particular area. However, the rapidly growing cities and business
processes have raised an alarming threat on environmental sustainability (Nica, 2015). The
development processes which are taking place on global extent are significantly creating an
adverse impact on the environment which is putting a great question mark on the survival of
human beings and life on earth.
Thus, it is very essential for every individual to make necessary attempts which can
protect survival of earth as well as our lives. The key concept of the environment sustainability is
that the development processes must not be carried out on the cost of threat on environment
(Bifulco and et.al., 2016). The report will discuss the need and methods to achieve the goal of
sustainable development. It will also analyse the various ICT approaches through which desired
goals can be achieved by using case example of global south, specifically in south Africa region.
Further the document will provide recommendations to implement ICT policies for enhancing
sustainability practices.
LITERATURE REVIEW
In past few years human population has reached to advanced levels of developments in
terms of technology and standard of living. However, there are certain parts of the world where
resources are getting limited and thus they are not able to meet the needs of upcoming
generations. According to Hilty and Aebischer, 2015, the situation has been getting worse and
gradually will spread to entire world. The key factor for occurrence of this crisis is that in the
development processes people and nations are exploiting resources without thinking or making
attempts to conserve these resources for the future.
The regions which are not facing this scarcity are experiencing another impact called
climate change. In the recent years the temperature of the earth increased greatly. Due to
temperature imbalance in some areas there are situations like flood while the nearby area is
making efforts to save a single drop of water. Ahvenniemi and et.al., 2017, states that practices
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of people are traditional and not in compliance with the environment. As a result the pollution
and improper power management have become routine practices.
The climate changes are not only affecting the productivity but are also causing migration
of people at large scale. The increasing severity and frequency of natural disasters has raised the
alarming discussion on environment sustainability so that these effects can be suppressed and
future generations can live the earth full of natural resources (Anthony and Majid, 2016). The
ICT technologies based framework can be a perfect solution for making an attempt towards
sustainability. Thus, it is required that ICT concepts must be applied and analysed in every
aspect of planning and implementation.
Goal overview: Environmental sustainability
According to Haarstad, 2017, environmental sustainability is defined as the approach to
meet the present requirements of generations in a way such that it does not create any threat on
the future needs of upcoming generations. The natural resources are very limited in comparison
to the increasing human population. Thus, it has been becoming very challenging to assure the
availability of even basic resources such as land, water, food and fresh air to people. Apart from
this factor the globalisation and technical advancements has also created additional burden on
environment in terms of green house gases.
De Jong and et.al., 2015, states that the excessive emission of these gases is causing
severe changes in climate and is leading to urgent demand of sustainable policies so that these
adverse effects can be suppressed. Africa has been emerging as the country with the fastest
growth in terms of its population as well as economy. However, the extreme urbanisation and
population load on the earth has resulted in several environmental changes. For example the
temperature of the region has elevated greatly. The unproductive land and polluted water
resources has created scarcity of drinking water and places for residence.
As discussed in Asongu, Le Roux and Biekpe, 2018, African countries are also facing
migration in great extent due to the climatic issues giving rise to the environmental refugees.
Hence, it is very essential for the country to preserve its environmental component so that its
poverty and severe health issues among communities can be eliminated. Most of the degraded
land is situated in South Africa which makes it highly unsuitable for agriculture. It is leading to
starvation and deaths caused by it. The poverty and food supply shortage due to these significant
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environmental changes are regularly drawing the attention of authorities to achieve goals of
environment sustainability. This sustainability will help nation to overcome its growth barriers.
The current traditional practices of African communities require to be replaced by the
ICT technologies so that they can make their practices environmental friendly. The practices
such as education, recycling, re-usability, lower emission of carbon gases and green agriculture
practices can be effective for South Africa to achieve its sustainability goals. However, it is not
possible to implement these practices without using ICT tools. For assuring the long term
development and survival it is essential for the developing Africa to encompass its development
plan with sustainable practices and ICT (Popescu, 2015). This development goal will create an
awareness among local communities and business organisations so that they can understand the
necessity and benefits of the ICT in relation with environmental sustainability.
Environmental sustainability goals are highly crucial for the country so that its poverty
level can be controlled. The region has been known worldwide for its poor living and health
conditions. The lack of resources, awareness and suitable technologies in the region are also key
factors which has caused environmental imbalance in South Africa. In the same context Cohen-
Blankshtain and Rotem-Mindali, 2016, explains that the ICT approaches can be implemented in
the country to reduce the pollution so that natural resources such as land, soil and water can be
prevented from degradation.
The ICT can also play an important role in educating and communicating people in South
Africa. Despite of such difficulties the local authorities are not able to convince the local
communities that their practices are causing damage to the environment. With the goal to
achieve sustainability ICT can provide easy communication tool which can provide solutions to
the people and business organisations who want to contribute towards the sustainability.
Currently there are many communities in South Africa who are desired to accomplish sustainable
practices but are unable to do so because of the limited resources and methods.
The above mentioned development goal will encourage people to work together as a
group so that the sustainability in the region can be enhanced. The global warming is creating
crucial impact on the biodiversity and health of the people. Thus, it is essential that African
communities must also make attempts to cope up with the other developed sections of the world
and contribute to sustainable development practices (Lyons, 2018). In order to achieve the
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environment sustainability goal ICT practices will aim at making processes energy efficient. It
will encourage the practices which will reduces the carbon emissions. Asongu, Le Roux and
Biekpe, 2018, argue that the key methodologies used by ICT to achieve the goals is to align the
industrialisation and agricultural practices with minimum burden on natural resources. It will
help people to reduce the contamination and scarcity of resources and sustainability goals will be
achieved.
Case study background: Need of ICT framework in Africa to encourage sustainability
The education level and the literacy rate is not much significant in the region. Most of the
African communities strictly follow their traditional and cultural practices. They have strong
resistance towards changing their beliefs in almost every aspect related to business, hygiene or
exploration of natural resources. Thus lack of awareness can be considered as the one of the most
common reason to cause natural imbalance. The people in South Africa are not concerned or
aware with the fact that the environmental resources are not permanent and they must be
protected (Ensuring Environmental Sustainability in Africa, 2016). The information technology
and various communication methods can be employed to educate people.
South Africa is known as one of the regions of world with minimum per capita income.
With the economic challenges and other natural disasters it has been becoming hard for the
region to manage its oil, raw materials and minerals. As a result of this the exploitation of natural
resources is not only creating financial burden on the country but is also causing hardships in
terms of sustainability. The growing population is not even able to acquire the basis necessities
of life. Most of the growth of the country depends upon the extraction of its natural resources
such as crude oil and diamonds However current practices are not sustainable and thus
sustainability is emerging has one of the biggest challenge (Anthony and Majid, 2016). As a
consequence of increasing population there is regular shortage of food and water thus people are
migrating to urban areas. With this urbanisation it is even difficult in the area to manage the
waste products which is essential for the healthy living. Improper methods of disposal of plastic
bags and other non degradable wastage is leading to significant environmental impact in terms of
environment.
As per discussion in How Sustainable is Sustainable Development in Africa?, 2009, as
compare to any other country in the world Africa will experience the greatest climate changes
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such as either extreme rainfall or drought situations. Thus, it is very essential for South Africa to
implement a suitable framework for enhancing the sustainability.
Role and analysis of ICT practices in goal achievement
With the help of ICT concepts and tools people can be demonstrated that how they can
avoid pollution and resource wastage. There have several recycling techniques used in different
corners of world. The ICT can acknowledge these methods among African communities so that
they can also inspire by these innovations. The education and awareness by ICT methods will
motivate people to make changes to their practices which are causing harmful effect to the
environment (Heeks, Subramanian and Jones, 2015). For instance deforestation and burning of
weeds is very common in South Africa. When people will have alternate solution and complete
knowledge of its harmful effects then they will surely abolish such practices. Thus, ICT can play
a major role in creating awareness and willingness among people which is the first step in
achieving sustainability development goal.
One of the most important and effective benefit provided by information technology is
the digital storage of data and records. A huge amount of information is managed in files or
papers by people, business organisations and government department of region. It encourages the
use of paper and thus deforestation is contributing to unproductive lands. The rapidly increasing
soil erosion and land deforestation has making air quality worst and less amount of food supply
than required. Instead of using paper if all institutes will employ ICT then their data can be
stored in computer systems and amount of paper can be easily reduced.
It will save good amount of trees and green house emission will reduce drastically. The
ICT tools not only enable to store and manage the data but also allow sharing them through
networking. In order to communicate with people or to exchange information with each other
transportation services are widely used. The use of vehicles emits harmful gases which are
responsible for climate changes. As per the view of Porras and et.al., 2016, when information
technology is used to exchange the information then unnecessary consumption of non-renewable
resources such as fuels, petrol will be reduced. It is also profitable from the cost perspective. The
information exchanged through ICT is highly cost effective and less time consuming. In certain
business aspects the ICT can also promote the re-usability of resources so that there is no
wastage and additional burden on environmental resources.
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The vital benefits of ICT has made it possible to use these technologies in every aspect
ranging from healthcare to construction. The economic growth of South Africa can be
characterised by its urbanisation and developing buildings. However, with growing population of
the region the construction sites are also increasing. ICT methods can also be used in
construction practices so that more energy efficient building designs can be prepared (Wang,
Sanchez Rodrigues and Evans, 2015). The designing advancements bring significant differences
in terms of cost and energy consumption. The reduction in energy will help to move a step ahead
towards its goal.
In rural areas of South Africa where still traditional and expensive methods are followed
the application of ICT can improve the quality of life. When people will have better living
standard then, they will be able to evaluate the sustainable practices which can contribute to the
environment sustainability. ICT can be considered and promoted as the key element of green
policy in any organisation or the region. These technologies can make the infrastructure more
environment friendly. For instance the building material, information exchange medium and
mode of operational activities can bring major differences in the energy consumption.
The carbon emission by ICT equipments such as laptops or computers is extremely low
as compare to the other green house emission sources such as transportation vehicles and
wastage of organic materials (Achachlouei and Hilty, 2015). One of the key factor which is
responsible for the unsatisfactory environment of South Africa is the ancient agricultural
practices which are not suitable with the growing population. The ICT tools have been proven to
be efficient method to control and regulate the agricultural processes.
These tools are making it possible for the African citizens to consult and communicate
with the experts of different subjects. For instance various researchers from developed countries
are showing interest to invest in the region so that its condition can be improved. For this
purpose they are establishing and supporting agricultural and resource management methods
which can reduce environment pollution. As compare to the conventional devices, the new
advanced ICT devices are energy efficient can serve multiple purpose. It indirectly reduces the
additional burden on the nature and its resources (Anthony and Majid, 2016).
However, there has been constant debate on the issue that if ICT can contribute to the
achievement of sustainability. The reason for this is the fact that if ICT strategies and methods
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are not managed properly then they can create an additional burden on the nature. For instance
the wastage produced by the ICT devices must be recycled and managed properly otherwise it
will cause the same adverse impact as created by existing traditional practices. Though the
proper management of ICT will result in extraordinary changes in the business processes as well
as the living standards of communities by proper management of environment resources
(Pretorius, Lombard and Khotoo, 2016).
Green ICT framework for improving sustainability in South Africa
Climate change can be considered as the one of the most threatening consequence of the
negligence to sustainability practices. In order to deal with this South Africa can adopt green ICT
framework for reaching the sustainability targets. Green ICT framework aims at reducing the
emission of carbon and other gases which degrade the quality of environment. Other important
aspect of green ICT includes the strategies and methods which can encourage the energy
efficient devices, reduction in energy cost and management of hazardous wast substances
(Ahmed, 2017). The increasing forest area can be analysed as the best initiative to support
environment sustainability.
Thus, government must develop strict policies regarding deforestation so that
construction activities can be monitored and regulated. There must be clear guidelines regarding
the carbon footprint of industries and carbon emission from different sources. The devices or the
practices which are not supportive to the environment must be abolished immediately. For
instance the coal generated electricity consumption can be reduced by using solar energy. Similar
people can use communication technology and other ICT methods to manage their resources
effectively. The use of ICT systems can also ensure that resources are distributed evenly among
people so that there is no scarcity of the resources.
The business procedures can be modified by measures such as energy efficient lightings
and advanced control and monitoring systems so that paper consumption and energy
consumption can be minimised (Asongu, 2017). From the green ICT framework it is also
analysed that the improved telecommunication systems can improve functional efficiencies and
operational costs can also be reduced from these measures. The business groups can make their
activities more dependent upon digital technology. For instance the digital transaction and data
management through cloud computing saves time as well as cost.
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The developments in South Africa related to construction processes can shift to the use of
building material which are less harmful for the nature. Green ICT practices also provide
effective solutions to waste management and proper disposal of these substances. The use of IT
enables to explore the various methods which explore the suitable utilisation of waste instead of
mere dumping. These practices will make the functional processes and methods of the country
more environment friendly.
Challenges in implementing ICT and factors affecting sustainability goals
It is not very simple for South Africa to implement the above discussed framework.
There are several implementations and planning challenges which must be overcome first to
achieve environment sustainability goal. The first barrier in the path is the lack of education.
Most of the local communities are not willing to change their practices. Despite of difficulties
they are very firm to their traditional beliefs (Africare In the News, 2008). There are people who
want to change their life and practices but due to limited access to knowledge are not able to do
so. The poverty can be one of the key factor behind this.
For instance in rural South Africa there are numerous families who can avoid non-
renewable energy sources and desire to shift towards solar equipments but they do not have
money to afford even food. Thus, it is impossible for them to adopt the sustainable measures.
The young aspirants in African communities are very keen to initiate the business with ICT
innovations so that they can achieve growth and their communities can also flourish. These
people have skills but do not have sufficient funds and technology to use ICT devices (How ICTs
enhance environmental sustainability projects, 2014).
The current regulation and monitoring systems are also one of the challenges which must
be resolved. There is no clarity in environmental guidelines such as pollution limits by industries
or transportation systems and in construction sites. Thus people are not bounded to consider the
ICT as part of their business or processes. They continue to their existing and old practices
without realising the urgency and need of ICT tools (Nica, 2015).
Recommendations for ICT4D policy
ICT For development (ICT4D) policy is very crucial for the South Africa so that its
citizens can sustain their lives with quality standards. However, it is quite challenging
implementing ICT frameworks which can help region to achieve objectives of ICT4D policy.
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The financial limitations are one of the major factor which prevents the African government and
authorities to adopt ICT practices and framework. Thus, the support from multilateral initiatives
like funds from environment protection agencies and global environment fund (GEF) can be
increased so that the execution work can begin at state as well as national level (Asongu, Le
Roux and Biekpe, 2018).
The environmental institutes must be given more legislative authorities in South Africa so
that the construction and management processes can be made more friendly. These authorities
will regulate and provide guidelines or suggestions which favour environment friendly
development processes. These institutes must also ensure that environment laws are implemented
strictly. The ICT tools can serve highly effective for these purpose. The regulations can be
communicated via ICT tools so that people can access and communicate with the authorities at
any instant of time. They will also be able to access the innovative practices which are helpful
for the sustainability.
The lack of education and awareness prevent the local communities to actively take part
in the green practices (Bon, Gordijn and Akkermans, 2016). Thus, the traditional communities of
South Africa must be educated and guided so that they can seek assistance from the responsible
authorities. It will help them to acknowledge the activities which are causing climatic imbalance
in the country. The technical assistance is also recommended so that people do not feel these
modifications as burden or complex process. Another approach for reducing the harmful
elements which are causing environmental imbalance is the lack of proper monitoring system
and suitable resources. For instance the deforestation can be reduced to a great extent if paper is
replaced with digital ICT systems.
However, there are number of institutes who are aware of this fact but they do not have
appropriate resources to implement this. In such situations the government and other agencies
can provide fund to initiate such plans. ICT4D cannot be implemented without making strong
framework from the ground level (Shimeles, Verdier-Chouchane and Boly, 2018). The rural
communities of South Africa must be provided adequate resources so that can contribute in the
project. For instance still there are people who use non-renewable energy sources such as wood
for lighting purpose. It has make essential for such communities to cut the trees for wood so that
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they can full fill their light requirements. On the other hand if these people are provided solar
energy based equipments then it will prevent deforestation.
The ICT can also improve the agricultural techniques and management strategies within
business corporations. Thus, government must monitor that the power management systems and
resource consumption monitoring framework is followed in every government and private
institution (Chirisa, Mukarwi and Matamanda, 2018). The awareness camps must be organised
so that every single community member can understand the need and methods of green ICT. As
per the current situation of South Africa it may not be much effective to directly implement the
high tech ICT services.
For instance the current poverty and environmental damaged situations cannot be
improved by implementing wireless services or sensors. For achieving the long term objectives it
is recommended that the government must first initiate with low tech services. For instance the
use of energy efficient equipments, replacement of renewable energy equipments with non-
renewable devices and encouraging the community participation through ICT tools can improve
the situations from ground level. The sustainability goals cannot be achieved without joint efforts
of communities and government support (Bifulco and et.al., 2016). The international agencies
must also provide necessary support in terms of resources and knowledge so that the living
conditions in South Africa can be improved and its practices can be transformed towards
sustainability.
CONCLUSION
From the report it can be concluded that it is the high time that various institutions must
integrate their practices with the concept of sustainability. This step is not only crucial from the
environmental perspective but also from the business point of view. It has been analysed from
the report that ICT practices can make processes more qualitative and cost efficient which
increases profitability as well as makes them sustainable. It is evaluated from the report that
sustainability cannot be achieved without eliminating the challenges at ground level. Thus
authorities must identify these challenges and based on these challenges suitable sustainability
plan must be prepared.
It is concluded from the study that ICT based processes must be analysed and
implemented so that environmental hazards due to the excessive use of technology and
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inefficient user of natural resources can be controlled and managed. The essay has discussed the
various challenges which may prevent the process of enhancing sustainability of environment. It
is required that the developing countries which are shifting towards these technical
improvements must adopt suitable ICT so that they can make their development process cost
effective and less harmful for their existence.
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