Summary: Information / Discussion

Internet and the Environment

This session examined the use of the Internet as a tool for raising awareness on environmental and other global issues. It also promoted the power of the individual for effecting change in the global arena.

The chair introduced the session by stating its objectives: to discuss how the Internet can be used to save the environment and solve other international problems. He apologized for Thomas Ruddy, who was unable to attend, and he thanked Mr. Kaz Uemachi, Head, International Department, Network Earth Village, for stepping in at the last moment.

Mr. Kaz Uemachi, Head of International Department, Network Earth Village, presented two concrete examples of Internet applications for realizing a sustainable society:

1) The use of the Internet to influence the outcome of regional elections in Japan. Open questionnaires on environmental issues of regional and national importance (for example, the re-examination of public works, nuclear energy policy, and land reclamation policy) were distributed to candidates prior to the election. The results, which reflected party policy, were posted on the Internet, where they were picked up by national media. In five out of 47 prefectures, environmentally conscious candidates were subsequently elected. In one prefecture, the incumbent of twenty years standing was defeated by a party supporting sustainable development.

2) The power of the Internet to change the consumer habits of individual citizens and influence government policy. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Germany challenged the goal of the government to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by seven percent in seven years by raising public awareness through the Internet and ultimately achieving a ten percent decrease in only one year. As a result of this, the government set a new goal – to reduce emissions by twenty-five percent in ten years.

Inspired by this example, a new website in Japan is encouraging citizens to reduce their household energy consumption by six percent in one year, challenging the government's goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by six percent over ten years.

Mr. Yoshiyuki Takagi, President of the Network Earth Village, outlined the current world situation by presenting international data on greenhouse gas emissions and the increasingly serious consequences of the climatic changes. He went on to discuss the growing dichotomy between rich and poor nations, pointing out that the world's total military budget could be used to clear the world of landmines, dismantle nuclear weapons, provide food for the starving and cancel all debts for highly indebted countries.

In view of the apparent failure of governments to reach agreement on these issues, Mr. Takagi proposed that citizens could be empowered to find solutions by working together. To accomplish this, he has founded United Global Citizens, a worldwide network for sharing information and, ultimately, changing government policy.

Surprising issues
Mr. Takagi showed data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicating that a 5.8 degree Celsius increase in temperature will cause a five-metre rise of the sea level, resulting in fifty countries being submerged. One nation in the South Pacific is already taking measures to relocate its citizens, thus creating “environmental refugees”.

Interesting questions
One delegate raised the question of access to information, international conferences and computers by people at the grassroots level in developing nations, pointing out that wealthier nations have a responsibility to facilitate such access. Another observed that, while United Global Citizens was a good idea in principle, it would be difficult to engage people's interest without demonstrating concrete results in their own communities. A further comment was made regarding the risk of alienating NGOs and CSOs by placing too much focus on the individual. Such organizations are already a powerful voice for the individual and have already gone a long way towards establishing contacts with the UN and other government agencies.

Conclusions
The chair concluded that the Internet is a powerful tool for educating citizens and influencing government policy. He also confirmed that the creation of a global citizens' network, such as United Global Citizens, was an effective means of harnessing the power of the individual combined with existing civil society organizations.

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