Issue 10: July-August 2001

The United Nations University/Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU/IAS) has announced the launch of an international collaborative project to investigate the implications of the Information Technology revolution for the environment. 

Partners in the two-year "Digital Economy and the Environment" project are Carnegie Mellon University, Science University of Tokyo, Sumitomo Marine Research Institute Inc., UNU/IAS and University of Tokyo with support from the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership.  

Issues to be investigated include:  

1. The overall energy intensity (Energy use/GDP) of the US economy decreased 9.7% over the period 1996-99, which some analysts suggest is largely due to implementation of IT. In contrast, the energy intensity of the Japanese economy increased 0.9% over the same period.

2. IT has an increasing role in corporate strategies for efficiency and environmental performance. For instance, AT&T in the US reports financial and environmental success in promoting internal use of telecommuting and “paperless office” strategies.  IBM has reduced unneeded production through supply chain management. The project will investigate how firms in sectors across the economy can use IT as a tool for efficiency and environmental performance.

3. Is e-commerce good for the environment? Preliminary research has been done by UNU and Carnegie Mellon University to compare energy consumption, waste and pollution emissions associated with the distribution of books by e-commerce and conventional bookstores. Early results suggest that while e-commerce tends to save energy for consumers in suburban or rural areas, increased packaging used in e-commerce can reverse the situation, especially for those living in big cities. E-commerce may also contribute to reducing overproduction of unsold inventories.

4. The production of computers and telecommunications equipment has “hidden” environmental impacts in the form of chemicals, energy and water used in manufacturing. Recent research suggests that 157 kg of chemicals and fossil fuels are used to make one microchip for a personal computer.

5. There is an increasing problem regarding what to do with waste electronics. Recent results of UNU research suggest that reselling or upgrading a computer is about 20 times more effective at reducing environmental impacts than recycling it. Despite this, the policy discussions in Japan and Europe continue to focus on recycling as the major end-of-life option.