WHITEPAPER ICT for Development : Environmental Sustainability

1. WHITEPAPER ICT for Development :Environmental Sustainability Presented by: Mansura Khanam Mike Cahayla Shoshona Goldstein Advisor: Ambassador RafatMahdi

2. Introduction and Background The importance of MDGs • Provide clear, attainable paths for international cooperation and development programs, anchoring them to time-bound development targets • MDGs place issues of over a billion-plus people living in extreme poverty at the center of national and international agendas • MDGs are critical to global security and peace Simply put, MDGs are too important to fail

3. Introduction and Background Introduction and Background Introduction and Background What’s the problem? The statistics are sobering • 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, and 2.5 billion lack access to basic sanitation services • Only 22 % of the world’s fisheries are sustainable, compared to 40 per cent in 1975 • Some 2.4 billion people live without access to modern cooking and heating services, and 1.6 billion have no access to electricity • More than 1/3 of the growing urban population in developing countries live in slum conditions

4. Introduction and Background Introduction and Background Introduction and Background The Importance of Environment to Development According to UN Millennium Project Task Force on Environmental Sustainability: “Protection of the environment is an essential prerequisite and component of human health and wellbeing.” “Economic development and good health are not at odds with environmental sustainability: they depend on it.”

5. Introduction and Background Our Project Purpose • To provide an overview of ICT for ensuring environmental sustainability including trends, barriers, challenges, opportunities and successes • To provide information that could be used towards UN-GAID’s larger goal of creating a matrix of ICT applications for use by development practitioners • To support UN-GAID in its role in promoting ICT for development

6. Introduction and Background Introduction and Background Our Project Premise • The goal of ensuring environmental sustainability is important to development and ICT are a way to achieving this goal • ICT – great potential but largely underutilized in this area

7. Introduction and Background Introduction and Background Introduction and Background Importance of ICT for Environmental Sustainability Importance of ICT for Environmental Sustainability We proceeded with the understanding that: • Safer, more resilient and productive communities are important goals for development • Threats of climate change and natural and man-made disasters are on the rise • Degradation- disproportionate affect on the poor Every advantage ICT can lend, must be utilized

8. Introduction and Background Introduction and Background Introduction and Background ICT are a powerful enabler for achieving all MDG7 targets + • We found any discussion of MD7 was incomplete without also including a discussion on climate change and natural disasters • Targets functioned as guideposts for researching our paper.

9. Introduction and Background ICT provide multiple opportunities for MDG 7 that span Research Planning Action From reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU to delivery of clean water and sanitation in a Brazilian favela to production of environmental education by middle-school students in Lebanon

10. Introduction and Background Introduction and Background Introduction and Background How it works

11. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 ICT Application Areas

12. The Role of ICT for MDG 7

13. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 ICT Applicability Areas Applications can also be understood as: • Renewed methods or better, newer ways of doing old things • SimTanka and Firehawk • Radically new methods for understanding the environment • The Surui Case or RedeJovem • Redeployed methods for tackling emerging problems • Ushahidi

14. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 Renewed ∙Radically new ∙Redeployed Firehawk -long range, electronic forest fire detection system in KwaZulu Natal Replace or enhance manned lookout towers Rotating digital cameras covering large forestry areas transmit to a base station where software differentiates between fire, smoke and glow and automatically raises an alarm early detection. Firehawk-ForestWatch

15. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 Renewed ∙Radically new ∙Redeployed • SimTanka models performance of rainwater harvesting systems like covered storage tanks (Tanka) in Rajasthan • Such systems have been used for more than a millennium in various parts of the world • What SimTanka aims to do through modeling and simulation is to determine to what extent a given Tanka would meet the demand made on it, and with what degree of reliability Simtanka

16. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 Renewed ∙Radically new ∙Redeployed Simtanka

17. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 Renewed ∙Radically new ∙Redeployed Simtanka

18. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 Renewed∙Radically new ∙Redeployed The Surui& Amazon rainforest • Their Story • Chief Almir • The Collaboration

19. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 Renewed∙Radically new

20. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 Renewed∙Radically new ∙Redeployed Multi-stakeholder approach What’s missing here? National government

21. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 Renewed∙Radically new ∙Redeployed • Through the technology and this collaboration • Monitoring and surveillance– gave the Surui a way to fight back against loggers. The Surui traded bows and arrows for laptop computers • Technology Used: • Computer/Internet • Laptops • Mobile Android phones w/ video capture and playback • GPS; GIS; Satellite Imaging Ethnographic mapping- not just a forest, but a way of life Carbon credit program

22. The Role of ICT for MDG 7 Renewed∙Radically new ∙Redeployed Haiti Earthquake in 2010 Kenya post-election violence in 2008 USHAHIDI meaning testimony in Swahili Allows anyone to report an event or incidence via Internet, mobile phone or Twitter. Allows messages to be mapped by time and location, creating a moving picture

23. Challenges in the use of ICT Access ∙ Availability ∙ Connectivity Access – people’s ability to access and use ICT Availability – presence of hardware, devices, and necessary energy sources Connectivity- Speed and degree of technology Problems of Data Gathering & Sharing Network isolation is a hindrance ICT should facilitate compatibility Cost as ICT Barrier Sustainable Priority

24. Challenges in the use of ICT Access ∙ Availability ∙ Connectivity Case Study: Text Free Interfaces for ICT Literacy for illiterate and semi-illiterate users • Find job information on the Internet • Use an online map to find the address

25. Challenges in the use of ICT Access∙ Availability ∙ Connectivity • The availability of fixed telecommunications is limited by: • Lack of electricity • Cost prohibitive hardware

26. Challenges in the use of ICT Access∙ Availability ∙ Connectivity

27. Challenges in the use of ICT

28. Challenges in the use of ICT Problems of Data Gathering and Sharing • Issues • Islands of Information • Not many data gathering or sharing initiatives are undertaken on the state, national, or international level • Without a centralized approach: • Duplication of efforts • Needlessly high costs • Lack of uniformity and compatibility

29. Challenges in the use of ICT Cost as ICT Barrier • Issues • Many ICT applications are capital intensive, especially at the onset • Long-term funding is more viewed as more risky by investors • Funds must be earmarked for ICT and environmental issues • Accountability

30. Challenges in the use of ICT Akvo.org • An ICT program that overcomes all three obstacles 1. Access emphasis placed on text-free interface

31. Challenges in the use of ICT Percussion Drilling

32. Challenges in the use of ICT 2. Data Gathering and Sharing • Water and sanitation programs are evaluated • Easy to access encyclopedia organizes relevant information and enables users to upload data

33. Challenges in the use of ICT 3. Fundraising • Clearinghouse matches donors to programs in need of funding

34. Challenges in the use of ICT Akvo.org

35. Stakeholders National Governments • MDG 7 target: “Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources” • ICTs can aid National Governments in: • Replanting forests • Treating wastewater • Curbing chemical pollution • Conserving critical ecosystems • Importance of mainstreaming environmental sustainability and ICTs in development

36. Stakeholders International Community UN Agencies (UN GAID), development banks, international or multilateral organizations • Assist other stakeholders to achieve their goals • Offer technical and strategic planning • Direct funding

37. Stakeholders NGOS Civil society; local and international and community based organizations • Utilize ICT for operations, advocacy and fundraising • Often provide direct ICT services, programs and training to target groups

38. Stakeholders Private Sector Multinational and regional Corporations, local businesses and entrepreneurs • Bottom up vs. top down innovation • Understanding information and user needs, limitations, strengths

39. Stakeholders Academic Institutions Policy schools, Technical innovation • Opportunities for collaboration between countries • Private sector collaboration-Adobe, Microsoft & MIT case

40. Stakeholders Media Direct use of ICT to promote new voices and individualized content Role in education and awareness building of: • ICT applications for environmental sustainability • ICT and environmental issues • Disaster management

41. Stakeholders Local Communities Direct beneficiaries and target groups • Global citizens • Over 1 billion slum-dwellers worldwide • Indigenous populations • Emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa

42. Key Recommendations National Governments • Mainstream ICT, and environmental sustainability policy and strategic frameworks: • Require environmental impact assessment (EIA) or alternative • Require development planning consider National Environment Action Strategies, international treaties and commitments • Provide incentives for: • Innovation • Collaboration

43. Key Recommendations

44. Recommendations International Community • Provide support and assistance to countries lacking capacity for environmental research, observation and analysis • Encourage national governments to fulfill their commitments

45. Recommendations • NGOs • Low-technology methods, i.e. education, behavior modification must accompany high-tech strategies • Promote long-term vision—capacity building & flexibility in incorporating new innovation over time

46. Recommendations • Private Sector • User-specific ICT products • Sensitivity to local information needs, limitations and strengths

47. Thank You Q & A