World Wide Web (WWW), Geographical Information System (GIS) and information through satellites generate a wealth of up-to-date information on various aspects of environment and health.
GIS is a tool to map land use patterns and document change by studying digitized topo sheets and or satellite imagery.
The internet with its thousands of websites has made it simple to get the appropriate environmental information for any study or environmental management planning.
Specialized software can analyze data for epidemiological studies, population dynamics and a variety of key environmental concerns.
The major advantage of IT is that those who lack a highly developed infrastructure can also access scientific knowledge about the environment.
One can access and monitor the world environment from anywhere in the world.
The use of IT tools in environmental management in developing countries has certain issues to be solved:
Bottleneck with respect to data/information: Lack of access to existing data can be a problem. In such situation, support should be given to educating and equipping people who can produce the needed information.
Institutional capacity: The receiver’s institutional capacity, organization, management and decision systems should be sufficiently well developed to utilize the IT tools efficiently.
Conflicts of demand-driven and technology-driven issues: Development of co-ordinate projects in environmental management should be based on a well-documented need and priority in the receiving country/institution.
The Impact: Internet has an impact on our societies through sharing of information, acquiring of knowledge and new opportunities for work and entertainment. It is a two-way medium to communicate and to give information as well as receive.
The View: Internet improves the interaction between people and institutions permit better access to government and greatly ease the general access to information. Particularly University education process may benefit by adopting environmentally benign technologies practiced in developed nations in laboratory studies.
The infrastructure: Linking information spaces on the internet, opportunities exist to create local, regional and national information highways, spanning across communities interacting within themselves. Linking together citizens, schools, libraries, newspapers and other information sources, local authorities and institutions, with outside connections, will create powerful infrastructures.
Global responsibilities: Developed nations are presenting ambitious plans for the information society. All include strong recommendations of equal access, independent of location, and on differences based on social conditions, sex, race etc.
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