ICT and SDGs: How Information and Communications Technology Can Accelerate Action on the Sustainable Development Goals

Ericsson and The Earth Institute, Columbria University have published this report entitled, "ICT and SDGs: How Information and Communications Technology Can Accelerate Action on the Sustainable Development Goals".

The authors of this report acknowledge that the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals will call for a transformation of societies and solicitation of technological solutions. ICT, especially mobile broadband, will be the essential infrastructure platform for the SDGs. The reports summarises five ways that ICTs can help in the achievement of the SDGs:-

1. Accelerated upscaling of critical services in health education,financial services, smart agriculture, and low-carbon energy systems.
2. Reduced deployment costs addressing urban and rural realities.
3. Enhanced public awareness and engagement.
4. Innovation, connectivity, productivity and efficiency across many sectors.
5. Faster upgrading in the quality of services and jobs

Issues and Challenges

No technology is without risks and widespread uptake of ICT raises a number of issues that will need to be addressed and managed. Several issues have been identified which governments,industry and other stakeholders must work together to address:

1. Privacy and surveillance
2. Cybersecurity
3. Loss of human skills
4. Possible public concern about health effects
5. Electronic waste and carbon emissions
6. Digital exclusion
7. Child protection and the Internet

This report also had contributions from the GSMA (which represents the interests of mobile operators around the world), The International Telecommunication Union) amongst the many major players