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Peter Arnfalk

Peter Arnfalk

Senior lecturer

Peter Arnfalk

The relevance of information and communication technologies for environmental sustainability - A prospective simulation study

Author

  • Lorenz A. Hilty
  • Peter Arnfalk
  • Lorenz Erdmann
  • James Goodman
  • Martin Lehmann
  • Patrick A. Waeger

Summary, in English

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have relevant positive and negative impacts on environmental sustainability on various levels: First-order effects such as increasing electronic waste streams; second-order effects such as improved energy-efficiency of production; third-order effects such as a product-to-service shift in consumption or rebound effects in transport. In the simulation study described in this article, all known relevant effects on all three levels were modeled using a System Dynamics approach in combination with scenario techniques and expert consultations. The prospective study for the European Union with a time-horizon until 2020 revealed great potential for ICT-supported energy management and for a structural change towards a less material-intensive economy, but strong rebound effects in the transport sector whenever ICT applications lead to time or cost savings for transport. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Department/s

  • The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics

Publishing year

2006

Language

English

Pages

1618-1629

Publication/Series

Environmental Modelling & Software

Volume

21

Issue

11

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Social Sciences Interdisciplinary

Keywords

  • structural change
  • system dynamics
  • and simulation
  • socio-economic modelling
  • information society
  • sustainable development
  • environmental impact
  • information technology
  • communication technology
  • material intensity
  • rebound effect
  • prospective technology assessment

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1364-8152