Environment and ICTs

Bangladesh has committed to becoming “Digital Bangladesh” by 2021. But fifteen years after liberalising the telecommunications industry, the country faces a significant e-waste problem. And because e-waste belongs to no specific sector but rather, crosses over into several, it is a challenge to create any policies for its management and disposal, says a new report commissioned by APC and...

In South Eastern Europe, as in most parts of the world, environmental activists and experts have been among the first to take advantage of the internet and ICT resources. More recently a new generation of green citizen movements and political parties in countries like Bulgaria and Hungary have used web-based social networks as their primary communication media.

There is a lack of awareness in Mexico of the environmental harm caused by the present models of production, consumption and disposal of electronic waste. However, there is also a lack of awareness of the positive role that ICT can play in mitigating climate change.

Laws on climate change and waste management in Costa Rica have existed since 2009. However, despite appearing on paper, there has been little progress in putting them into practice. If the situation does not change, the country will not become carbon neutral by 2021.

According to the GISWatch 2010 report, electronics is the fastest growing sector in India and are purchased by about 52 million people. From 1993 to 2000 the number of PCs owned by Indians grew 604% and one can only imagine how many computers have been bought since then.

Computer Aid recently launched a guide for NGOs and civil society working on issues of e-waste in their country. The free resource provides practical information and tools on how to conduct campaigns to reduce the impacts of electronics on the environment and people.

A guide on lobbying and advocacy on e-waste issues. The guide is intended for NGOs and civil society organisations wanting to make a positive change to e-waste policy and practice in their countries. The guide was authored by Computer Aid’s Environmental Advocacy Officer, Haley Bowcock and was financed by the European Union

Country baseline studies from Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Egypt, India and Mexico look at the rising issue of e-waste and the policy environment around it, while a comparative report highlights the main points from the country studies.