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Achieving global Sustainability by using
Substitutive Information Society Technologies
A study funded by the EC IST programme, November 2000 to February 2002
Participants
|
Penzance,
Cornwall TR20 8QW |
UK |
|
|
BARCO N.V. |
Kortryk
B-8500 |
Belgium |
|
Gent
B-9000 |
Belgium |
|
|
University
of Surrey GU2 7XH |
UK |
|
|
Paris
F-75006 |
France |
|
|
Zonhoven
B-3520 |
Belgium |
|
|
London
NW3 7AU |
UK |
Summary
Most consumption in the EC is unrelated to basic needs (nutrition,
shelter, etc) but is to satisfy non-material needs (place in society,
individuality, etc). The replacement of
material and energy intensive experiences such as those afforded by material
goods and extensive travel by IST based alternatives (virtualisation or
immaterialisation) may offer the only route to global sustainability that is
consistent with a high quality of life.
However a greater understanding of the nature of consumption is needed
to ensure that future IST services offer immaterial experiences that are more
satisfying than the material and energy intensive ones of today.
ASSIST will contribute to defining the EC IST research programme by surveying existing multi- and cross-disciplinary work in defining fundamental human needs, (using workshops and action groups to expand the field of contributors), making recommendations for future work and proposing new parameters for product and service design.
ASSIST will support public debate and contribute to the definition of future research programmes in promoting sustainability through IST. The topic of IST substitution for consumption (immaterialisation) has been much discussed but has (except for transport and entertainment) been little developed.
Product and service design will be aided by bringing together work related to the understanding of the true meaning of consumption (e.g. needs and satisfiers) in sociology and psychology as well as economics.
Work on the sensory, cognitive and ontological nature of networking and telepresence (e.g. the Cycle of Cognition), e-work and e-commerce will be mapped against consumption issues in order to build a bridge between the human and the economic research communities.
The recommendations for work programme modification will be made taking into account potential benefits, ethical issues and strategic risks.
Project Description