Objective
Main Objective
The main objective of ASIS is to support the search for sustainable development (SD) paths in the transition to the Information Society (IS). A growing number of people and institutions in Europe are affected by accelerating ICT-induced change and need encouragement to participate actively in the shaping of a Sustainable Information Society.
ASIS is a consensus building initiative to develop a Strategic Alliance for a Sustainable Information Society. The challenge will be to balance economic growth with social and environmental needs. This challenge can only be met by broad and active participation of all parties concerned. These parties include industry, the public sector at regional and local levels, citizens/consumer organisations and NGOs.
The concertation process required involves structural changes that no organisation can achieve alone. There is a vital need for a combination of voluntary commitments from the public and the private sector. ASIS has therefore drafted an Agreement for a Strategic Alliance for a Sustainable Information Society, to be taken over by its prospective signatories. The support provided by ASIS to the Strategic Alliance consists of:
-search for transition paths to sustainable economic, social and environmental development, in particular through the use of ICT;
-researching and modelling the interactions between ICT progress, Sustainable Development (SD) and the ongoing transition to an Information Society (IS), with a focus on potential synergies between IS and SD policies and their implications for European policy-makers;
-logistics for the effective deployment of the Strategic Alliance, in particular stimulating debate between the members of the Strategic Alliance and other groups using or affected by the new IC technologies, services and applications in partnership with the publication and broadcasting media. This includes an on-line information space on ICT, IS, SD and their interactions.
Technical Approach
ASIS is mainly an event driven project. However, to justify the specific actions proposed to the signatories of the Strategic Alliance, ASIS will analyse the theoretical basis for the interactions between the IS, SD and ICT generally and will develop the tools needed for impact analysis of proposed actions. These actions will be formalised through an iterative set of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and guidelines based on best practice cases. Strategic Alliance signatories will be invited to sign up to these actions.
In the first phase, a common draft Agreement will be produced. This will provide a baseline for the Strategic Alliance and its extension to other user groups. Then, on a sector and/or interest group basis, further specific Memoranda of Understanding and guidelines will be produced describing how specific information and communication technologies can contribute in different areas. This process of involvement will be supported in two ways:
-A multi-faceted parallel activity to clarify the relations between ICT, the IS and SD. This "responsive" activity picks up themes and concerns of actors involved in ACTS. Impact assessments are carried out, potentially dangerous rebound effects are identified, and strategies for sustainable implementation are defined. This feeds back into the activities of the Strategic Alliance and reinforces the content behind the MoUs.
-Broadening participation by disseminating information on ASIS via on-line and off-line media (e.g. an on-line information space) and by virtual or physical workshops to support networked interactions. These provide opportunities for the collaborative and progressive development of scenarios, issues, and MoUs. The aim is to create a "snowball" effect of ASIS participation by:
a. attracting users through the services offered
b. consolidating the Alliance through on-going group participation. The on-line information space will prove particularly important in broadening participation in the Alliance.
Summary of Trial
The project plans no trials of its own. However, initiatives by members of the Strategic Alliance, (publications, participation in ASIS or other events, feedback from participants in ASIS events, etc ), will result in some field trials. These will include monitoring of actual behavioural changes and their impacts on economic, social and environmental sustainability in selected sectors and regions.
Expected Achievements
ASIS will be a catalyst for interaction between ACTS players, European and national level IS and SD initiatives and research groups analysing the "IS-SD-ICT - triangle". The project also enhances qualitative and quantitative IS+SD policy analysis done by groupwork on the net, running and evaluating computer simulations as well as an improved graphical representation technique (compositons) for 'non-initiated' partners.
Expected Impact
The main impact will be a snowball effect as the Strategic Alliance expands. The project will create a positive feedback loop to improve understanding of the inter-relationships within the ICT-IS-SD triangle and enable a growing number of key players from different fields to effectively use ICT and IS structures for sustainability. Valuable insights for RTD and Structural Funds policy will be developed as contributions to a "Model Europe" describing the options open to the EU at the threshold to the 21st century.
Calendar of Events Planned by ASIS
June 98Intermediate Seminar at the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen, Denmark
September 98Workshop in Helsinki, Finland
October 98High-Level Seminar and Publication of the Agreement for a Strategic Alliance for a Sustainable Information Society at the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen, Denmark
February 99Workshop in Novosibirsk, Russia
April 99Workshop in Kortrijk, Belgium
July 99Workshop in Ulm, Germany
November 99High Level Conference in Seville, Spain
Key Issues
The three main issues of ASIS are:
-Improving the understanding of IS-SD-ICT interaction, in particular the dematerialisation potential of new ICT applications in key sectors of industry and infrastructure/logistics.
-Identifying potentially dangerous "rebound" effects if economic and legal/regulatory frameworks do not adapt.
-Developing a mutually understood "language" and communications channel between the drivers of change, the users of ICT and the growing number of societal groups affected by the accelerated transition to the Information Society.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- social sciences political sciences political policies civil society civil society organisations nongovernmental organizations
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
- natural sciences mathematics applied mathematics mathematical model
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Programme(s)
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Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
Germany
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