Internet Tactics
The growth in technologies to support collaboration and social networking is opening up new possibilities for advancing sustainable development research and practice around the world. IISD is working with a number of institutions to guide the development of "Web 2.0" tools and spaces. Recent work includes:
IISD's foundation work on web-based communications
As an early adopter of Web communications, IISD worked throughout the 1990s to push the edge of Internet communications in its own practice and that of its partners.
Through the "Spinning the Web" project, supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), IISD developed one of the first international sustainable development portals on the Web—the SD Gateway—and provided advice to its partners around the world on the development of joint modules on issues such as water, sustainable livelihoods and environmental law. The project resulted in the establishment of the Sustainable Development Communications Network (SDCN), which focused heavily on improving the practice of not-for-profit Web communications and professionalizing the role of the Web manager. IISD was a founding partner in the establishment of ITrainOnline, where its Web communications materials continue to be made available for civil society organizations in developing countries.
Based on these experiences, IISD became the first not-for-profit organization invited to join the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) in 2000 and was invited to provide Web strategy consulting to services to a wide array of clients including: the United Nations Environment Programme Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP DTIE); the Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC); Environment Canada; and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
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Social Networking and Governance for Sustainable Development (PDF - 662 kb) (2009)
Communications technology has enabled new approaches to governance in which stakeholders across sectors and jurisdictions are engaged in consensus building and implementation processes. This paper explores some mechanisms through which online social networking may impact on governance for sustainable development. Are social networking sites driving the transformation of the governance landscape, or are they merely diverting vast amounts of time from addressing the difficult sustainable development challenges at hand? And if they are useful tools for sustainable development, how can we ensure that they live up to their potential? -
Communicating Sustainable Development on the Web (2001) (PDF - 627 kb)
Excellent external communications practices are essential if an organization is to achieve success in helping decision-makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies and practices that are supportive of sustainable development. "Communicating Sustainable Development on the Web" promotes excellence by encouraging sustainable development organizations to think "Web first" and to know their audiences. -
Tools for Assessing Web Site Usage (2001) (PDF - 400 kb)
Web sites are now a common component of network communications with external audiences. This paper is an examination of several tools for assessing the effectiveness of a Web site. Is the knowledge of the network reaching its target audiences? Is the knowledge usable by the audience? -
SD Webworks (2001)
In May 2001, the Sustainable Development Communications Network (SDCN) invited Web managers from 25 leading non-profit organizations to a "write-shop" on Managing Sustainable Development Web Communications. Their thoughts, ideas and experiences have been compiled into a series of short articles and case studies that now form the basis for this online module. -
Sustainable Development Communications Network
The Sustainable Development Communications Network (SDCN) was established in 1998 as a result of the desire of civil society organizations (CSOs) to take advantage of their mutual interests, distinct geographies and diverse skills by collaborating on communications activities.
Key Publication
Sustainability of International Development Networks: Review of IDRC Experience (1995–2005)
» Terri Willard, Heather Creech, IISD, 2006.Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has 35 years of experience in developing and sustaining international networks. In the fast-changing global context of the past 10 years, it has found that sustainability means that a network continues to function until it achieves its goals, or until its members are no longer willing or able to continue, or until it becomes irrelevant. Sustainability thus has four dimensions: time, relationships, resources and relevance. In order to be sustainable across these dimensions, network members and coordinators must cooperate in establishment of mechanisms to enable strategic management, internal management, external management and financial management. Most importantly, however, members and coordinators must possess adaptive capacity that enables them to recognize the need for change and to respond appropriately to it. More...
Our Knowledge
» Themes
- Adaptation and Risk Reduction
- Climate Change and Energy
- Economics and SD
- Foreign Investment for SD
- Governance for Sustainable Development
- Internet and Technology
- International Trade
- Measurement and Assessment
- Natural Resources
- Networks & Partnerships
- Security
- Sustainable Markets
- Tomorrow's SD Leaders
» Initiatives
- Water Innovation Centre (WIC)
- The Sustainable Commodity Initiative (SCI)
- Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI)
