iccd johannesburg bako nistor solyom poster

8/3/2019 Iccd Johannesburg Bako Nistor Solyom Poster

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ICTsANDTHEENVIRONMENT:ROMANIAANDEUROPE

BakóRozáliaKlára,NistorLaura,SólyomAndrea

Sapientia–HungarianUniversityofTransylvania

Region,Environment,CultureResearchGroup

[email protected],www.research.ngo.ro

Members of the Region, Environment, Culture Research Group have participated in

numerousprojectsconcerningICTsandtheenvironment.Mainfindingsandaresearch

planarepresentedintheposterappendices:

1. GlobalInformationSocietyWatch:RomaniaandEurope

2. GreeningInformationTechnologies:aResearchAgenda

3. InternetUseandEnvironmentalConcerninPost-CommunistEurope

4. AssessingEnvironmentalAwarenessandValuesAmongYouth–Plan

References:

Bakó, R.K. (2010). Europe. Global Information Society Watch. Focus on ICTs and Environmental

Sustainability,70-72.Bakó, R.K. (2010). Romania. Global Information Society Watch. Focus on ICTs and Environmental

Sustainability,199-201.

Bakó,R.K.,Péter,P.&Sólyom,A.(2010).GreeningInformationTechnologiesinRomania:aResearch

Agenda.Reconect ,2(1):51-59.

Nistor, L. (2010). The Role of the Internet in Shaping Environmental Concern. A Focus on Post-

CommunistEurope.Compaso: JournalofComparativeResearch inAnthropologyandSociology ,1(2):

145-167.



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APPENDIX1:GlobalInformationSocietyWatch:RomaniaandEurope

FocusonICTsandEnvironmentalSustainability

Europe–regionalreportfindings1:

ThisreportfocusedontherelationshipbetweenICTs,climatechangeandinnovationinEurope,asreflectedin

EUpoliciesandgoodpracticesatgovernmentalandbusinesslevel.ReplacingdirtyICTswithgreenICTsisahigh

priorityforallstakeholders:supranationalregulatorybodies,nationalgovernmentsandsubnationalstructures

andorganisations.At thesame time,using ICTs as smart tools foran environmentally sustainableEurope is

beingmainstreamedbygovernmentsandbusinessesequally.

Europeancountriesareatdifferentstagesofadaptationtoclimatechange:whilemanyofthemhavedeveloped

complex and well-documented projects and programmes (Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary,

Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and theUK), others are still workingon their coping

strategies (Austria, Bulgaria,CzechRepublic,Estonia,Italy,Latvia, LithuaniaandSwitzerland).Somecountries

provided scarce or no information to the European Environment Agency concerning their climate change

adaptationstrategies:Cyprus,Greece,Luxemburg,Poland,Romania,SlovakRepublicandSlovenia.

AccordingtoaglobalgreenICTpolicyevaluation,undertheEUcodesofconductforbroadbandequipment,

signatorycompaniescommittoreducingenergyconsumptionofbroadbandequipment.Atthesametime,theEU codes of conduct for data centres set energy efficiency goals and measures standards for data centreproviders. The relatively small number of signatory companies to the EU codes of conduct for broadband

equipmentsuggeststhatthecodesofconducthavenotyetbeenwidelyaccepted.However,theyarestilluseful

fornon-signatorycompaniesastheyincludebestpracticesandstandards.

Romania–countryreportfindings2:

EnvironmentalandICTissuesstillevolveonseparatetracksinRomania,thoughwithvisiblesignsofintertwining.

InordertodevelopagreenICTagendainthecountry,severalstepsarenecessary:

–KeystakeholdersshouldbeeducatedinordertopromoteagreenapproachtoICTsandaclean-tech

approachtotheenvironment.

–AsetofeconomicindicatorsshouldbepubliclyavailableinordertoassesstheenvironmentalimpactofICTuse,asproposedatthe4thInternetGovernmentForum(IGF).TheseshouldincludevolumesofICTexportsand

imports,employmentratesinICT-relatedindustries,incomegenerationinICT-relatedindustries,andimpactof

ICTsonefficiency.TheIGFalsoproposesmonitoringtheavailabilityofenvironmentalcontentontheinternet

asameasureofthesuccessofawareness-raisingefforts.

–AsetofenvironmentalindicatorsshouldbedevelopedinordertoassesstheimpactofICTsonthe

environment,andmadepubliclyavailable.

–PrimaryresearchonICTsandtheenvironmentshouldbeencouragedthroughfunding.

–RomanianICTandenvironmentalprotectionofficialsshouldbemoreactivelyinvolvedininternational

discussionstakingplaceatgreenICTevents.

–CivilsocietyorganisationsshouldhaveamoreactiveroleinpromotingthegreenICTagenda,alongwith

businessesandgovernmentalagencies.

1 Bakó,R.K.(2010).Europe.GlobalInformationSocietyWatch.FocusonICTsandEnvironmentalSustainability,

70-72.2 Bakó,R.K.(2010).Romania.GlobalInformationSocietyWatch.FocusonICTsandEnvironmentalSustainability,

199-201.



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APPENDIX2:GreeningInformationTechnologies:aResearchAgenda3

Romania has made significant steps ahead since the fall of the communist regime in terms of aligning to

Europeanandinternationalpolicy-makingstandards(1989–2009).AccessiontotheEuropeanUnion(EU)in2007

imposed stricter standards and tighter regulations in all areas, particularly in highlighted fields like

environmentalprotectionandICTs.

The Romanian waste management system is similar to the one operating in other EU countries, but less

effective: for example the EU target for e-waste is 4 kg/person, while Romania collected less than 0,07

kg/person(2008–2009).

Thereare speciallegalactsfore-wasteandusedbatteries,butthe implementationand theenforcementhas

stillalongwaytogo.Thereisamonthlynationalcampaignforcollectinge-waste,sopeoplecanputinfrontof

theirhousethiskindofwaste,andthelocalwastecollectingcompanycollectsitthatday.Duetothiscampaign,

theaverageamountcollectedisalmost2%ofthenationaltarget.

Keystakeholdersforresearchandadvocacy:

IdeasforacollectiveGreeningITcampaign:– todeveloppilotadvocacycampaignsaroundvisibleenvironmentalNGOs,targetedatchildrenand

teenagers;

– totargetongoingsuccessfulICTandgreenprojectsconcerningwastemanagement,cleanenergies,e-

inclusion;

– togainsupportfromwellconnectedopinionleaderstospreadthegreeningITideasviatwittosphereand

blogosphere;

– toinvolveandconnectonlinecommunitiesdealingseparatelywithgreenandICTissuesaroundcreative

campaignevents(postercontest,widgetcontest,greeningITanimationcontest,shortfilmcontest)–

peoplejustlikecreativethings;

– togaincommittedexperts’supportforthecause:givingtheirnames,expertise,ideashelp;

– toinvolveasmanynewcomerstakeholdersaswecantoexpandtheidea.

3Bakó,R.K.,Péter,P.&Sólyom,A.(2010).GreeningInformationTechnologiesinRomania:aResearchAgenda.

Reconect ,2(1):51-59.



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APPENDIX3:InternetUseandEnvironmentalConcern

inPost-CommunistEurope4

Data:SpecialEurobarometer68.2(2007November–2008January)

Geographicalfocus :thepost-communistEuropeanUnionmemberstates(Bulgaria,CzechRepublic,Estonia,

Hungary,Latvia,Lithuania,Poland,Romania,Slovakia,Slovenia)

Dependentvariables :

- Environmentalinformation

- Environmentalconcern

- Environmentallyfriendlybehaviors(i.e.energysaving,environmentallyfriendlytravelling,

environmentallyfriendlyconsumption)

Explanatoryvariables :

- Socio-demographics

- GeneralInternetuse(frequencyofusage)

- SpecificInternetuse(e.g.Internetisamongthemainsourcesofenvironmentalinformationseeking)

Methodofanalysis :multiplelinearregression

Generalconclusions:

- Internetusagehasapositive,significantinfluenceonthedependentvariables(excepttheenergysaving

behavior);

- ComparedtothespecificInternetuse,generalInternetusagehasastrongerinfluenceonthedependent

variables;

- EnvironmentalconcernseemstobeasideeffectofthegeneralInternetuseandnotnecessarilythe

direct,explicitresultofthespecificInternetuse;

- ItislegitimatetoconcludethatsurfingtheNetingeneralprovidescitizenswithsomeessential

backgroundinformationandmakesthemmoreopen-mindedintermsofenvironmentalconcern;

- ThequitestronginfluenceoftheInternetusageremainsvalidevenaftercontrollingforsocio-

demographics,i.e.evenamongthewelleducatedcitizens,thosewhoaremorefrequentInternetusers

aremorecommittedintermsofenvironmentalconcern;- Inthepost-communistEUstates–consideredtheenvironmentallaggardsoftheUnion–Internetuse

canbeconsideredanimportant‘catch-upfactor’intermsofenvironmentalconcern.

References(selection):

Amichai-Hamburger,Y.,McKenna,K.Y.A.andTal,S.A.(2008)E-empowerment:empowermentbytheInternet.

ComputersinHumanBehavior ,vol.24,pp.1776-1789.

Barber,B.,Mattson,K.andPeterson,J.(1997) TheStateof“ElectronicallyEnhancedDemocracy”.ASurveyofthe

Internet .NewBrunswick:WaltWhitmanCenterfortheCultureandPoliticsofDemocracy.

Baumgartl, B. (1997) Environment in Eastern Europe. InM. Redclift, G.Woodgate (eds.) The International

HandbookofEnvironmentalSociology .Cheltenham:EdwardElgar,pp.349-378.

4Nistor,L.(2010).TheRoleoftheInternetinShapingEnvironmentalConcern.AFocusonPost-Communist

Europe.Compaso:JournalofComparativeResearchinAnthropologyandSociology ,1(2):145-167.

http://doctorat.sas.unibuc.ro/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Issue2_LauraNistor_Environment.pdf



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Dietz,T.,Stern,P. C.andGuagnano, G.A. (1998)Social structuralandpsychological bases ofenvironmental

concern.EnvironmentandBehavior ,vol.30,pp.450-472.

Franzen,A.(2003)Environmentalattitudesininternationalcomparison:AnanalysisoftheISSPsurveys1993and

2000.SocialScienceQuarterly ,vol.84,pp.297-308.

Good,J.(2006)Internetuseandenvironmentalattitudes:Asocialcapitalapproach.InS.P.Depoe(ed.) The

EnvironmentalCommunicationYearbook ,vol.3.NewJersey:TaylorandFrancis,pp.195-216.

Hansen,A.(1991)Themediaandthesocialconstructionoftheenvironment. Media,CultureandSociety ,vol.13,

no.4,pp.443-458.

Hansen,A.(ed.)(1993)TheMassMediaandEnvironmentalIssues.NewYork:LeicesterUniversityPress.

Lee,A-R.andNorris,J.A.(2000)AttitudestowardsenvironmentalissuesinEastEurope.InternationalJournalof

PublicOpinionResearch,vol.12,pp.372-397.

Norris,P.(2001)DigitalDivide.CivicEngagement,InformationPoverty,andtheInternetWorldwide.Cambridge:

CambridgeUniversityPress.

Orviska,M.andHudson,J.(2009)DividingorunitingEurope?InternetusageintheEU. InformationEconomics

andPolicy,21:279-290.



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APPENDIX4:AssessingEnvironmentalAwarenessandValuesAmong

YouthAged11-18(February–August2012)5

TheRegion,Environment,CultureResearchGroup

Sapientia–HungarianUniversityofTransylvania,Romania

http://research.ngo.ro

Method:survey

Population:studentsfromtheMikesKelemenHighSchoolSfântuGheorghe,Romania

Sampling:entirepopulationsurveyed

Topic:environmentalawarenessandvalues,withafocusonICTs

Questionnaireitemsareaimedatexploringstudents’interestsandattitudesconcerningenvironmental

issues,theirsourcesofinformationandknowledge,familyrootedpatternsofbehaviour,andvalues.

Researchquestionsandhypotheses

1. Thereisacorrelationbetweenvaluesandenvironmentalattitudes:studentswhoprefer

post-materialvaluesaremoreenvironmentallyaware.

2. Wepresumeagedifferencesbetweenstudentswhenitcomestoenvironmentalawareness:

a. Highschoolstudents6aremoreawarethanjuniorhighschoolstudents

7.

b. Thetwoagegroups’sourcesofinformationdiffer:highschoolstudentslearnfromTV

andtheinternetabouttheenvironment,whereasjuniorhighschoolstudentsget

informedfromfamilyandschool.

3. Familybackgroundandenvironmentalattitudesarecorrelated:a. Studentswithastrongerculturalcapitalaremoreenvironmentallyaware.

b. Studentsfromaffluentfamiliesarelessenvironmentallyaware:thelife-cycleoftheir

cellphonesandotherelectronicdevicesisshorter;theypurchasemore,andthey

producemoree-waste.

4. Academicperformanceandenvironmentalattitudesarecorrelated:wepresumethathigh

achieversaremoreinformedandmoreinterestedinenvironmentalissues.

5. Ifreplicatedinthreeyears,weestimatethatcurrent5thgraderswillbemoreenvironmentally

aware as 8th graders than present 8th graders, as an impact of theGreening the Way for

Tourism –astatefundedenvironmentaleducationprojectinvolvingover1000studentsfromtheMikesKelemenHighSchool,Romania.

5preliminaryresearchplanpreparedbyAndreaSólyom

69

thto12

thgraders

75

thto8

thgraders

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