Informationsgesellschaft und nachhaltige Entwicklung : Was sind die vor uns liegenden Herausforderungen? Société de l'information et développement durable : enjeux et besoins

Abstract

The paper discusses the relationship between the two leading ideas concerning future world development: (1) the path into the knowledge and information society, and (2) the goal of achieving a sustainable development. In this context, the paper discusses the opportunities due to innovation and technological progress for dematerialisation, the opportunities of telematics-based educational systems to dramatically raise the level of human resources world wide; but it also addresses the dangerous counter-force called the rebound effect. The conclusion of the paper is the need for additional social innovations, leading to an enhancement of the world trade order (GATT, WTO) in the direction of a global socially and environmentally oriented market economy and a political world wide regime aiming at good governance.