Abstract

In 20 contributions, authors from the fields of politics, business, science and the media examine the question of how and to what extent the guiding principle of sustainable development can be combined with the current development trends of the information society. The opportunities of a development towards a sustainable information society are outlined from a wide variety of starting points and perspectives, while the risks that stand in the way of such a development are clearly identified.

The title deliberately dispenses with an exclamation mark. Rather, it is a sober stocktaking. In the sum of all contributions, the anthology comes to the conclusion that we are on the way to a sustainable information society. The contributions to the anthology contain design perspectives and trace the dynamics of the development process of the information society. The anthology also provides information on the economic, ecological and social effects of an emerging sustainable information society. With the publication of this book, the Federal Environment Agency is continuing its activities to accompany the topic of the sustainable information society and to act as a moderator in this exciting field.

The authors of this anthology include: MPs Dr Martina Krogmann, Dr Reinhard Loske and Michael Müller, the director of the Second German Television Markus Schächter, the board member of the German Trade Union Confederation Heinz Putzhammer and the director of the FAW Ulm and member of the Club of Rome Prof. Dr Dr Franz Josef Radermacher.

Authors