A Review of Environmental Sustainability in National Broadband Policies – Global Overview and Case Studies on Australia and Rwanda

This technical document analyzes the potential and existing contributions of broadband towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal 7 (MDG7), which targets environmental sustainability, including reducing CO2. The review conducted in this study indicates that, in general terms, when it comes to leveraging the potential of broadband to promote environmental sustainability, high-income countries tend to focus on carbon abatement strategies, whereas developing nations envisage the use of broadband to reinforce the preservation of biodiversity and promote eco-friendly development. The final two chapters of the study review in detail two countries, Australia and Rwanda, who have featured environmental sustainability as a key element in their national broadband policies.