Priorities for Internet stakeholders

ISOC’s priorities for multistakeholder cooperation in Internet development are set out in its 2014 Global Internet Report. [11] The sustainable development agenda raises a number of particular challenges and opportunities for Internet governance and multistakeholder cooperation.

· Connectivity and access for all are crucial to the Internet’s contribution to sustainable development. Although there have been great improvements over the last decade, Internet access is still much poorer in many developing countries than developed countries. Recent estimates suggest that less than 10% of people in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) access the Internet, compared with more than 80% in developed countries. Broadband access is particularly poor in rural areas. This reduces the extent to which people can use the Internet to achieve the SDGs. [12]

Connectivity alone is insufficient to enable effective use of Internet for sustainable development. Other factors are also crucial:

· Affordability is essential if development stakeholders and citizens are to use Internet effectively to achieve the SDGs. Internet and broadband access are much more expensive, in relation to average income, in developing countries, particularly LDCs. [13] This makes it especially difficult for poorer individuals and communities to take advantage of Internet-enabled services.

· Reliability and resilienceare crucial if governments and businesses are to use the Internet to deliver services and grow prosperity. Participation in the digital economy, including cloud computing, requires uninterrupted access to broadband networks. Where this is unavailable, developing countries will miss out on economic opportunities available to their competitors. Reliable power supply, spectrum availability, redundancy in network capacity, secure networking, low levels of transmission latency and Internet Exchange Points are all important to Internet affordability, reliability and local access. [14]

· The legal and regulatory environment for e-government, e-business and individual citizens is also important. The Internet and Internet-enabled services thrive in business environments that encourage innovation and enterprise. The importance of frameworks for infrastructure and cross-border connectivity was emphasised in ISOC’s 2013 report on Lifting Barriers to Internet Development in Africa. [15] Legal and regulatory frameworks for e-commerce, digital signatures and data protection are prerequisites for Internet-enabled business. Businesses and individuals will only use the Internet fully if they have confidence their interactions and transactions are secure.

· Content and applicationsare also vital, building on the free flow of information and exchange of knowledge facilitated by the Internet. Users, particularly the poor and marginalised, need content that is relevant to their developmental needs, in languages they understand, accessible through devices and applications that are affordable and easy to use. ISOC has published a report with OECD and UNESCO demonstrating that local content, Internet development and lower access prices reinforce one another and achieve development gains. [16]

· Capabilities are as necessary as content. Users require skills to make full use of Internet-enabled services, including basic and ICT literacy, and skills in using devices and applications. ICT-specific skills in areas such as local infrastructure and traffic management, computer networking, web design, applications development and Internet security are needed in all societies. Policymakers need to understand technical aspects of the Internet, the pace of change in Internet-enabled services, and the interaction between these and public policy domains.

· Environmental impacts of the Internet are crucial to sustainability. The Internet enables environmentally-positive energy savings through improved efficiency, virtualisation of goods and services and smart systems to manage productive processes. However, ICTs are also the fastest growing source of physical waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Their impact will increase as cloud computing and the Internet of Things become more widespread. [17]

· More reliable dataare required concerningthe relationship between the Internet and sustainable development. Assessments of the WSIS targets show that data concerning Internet usage and developmental impact are poor. Better data-gathering and analysis are essential for evidence-based policymaking across all SDGs. [18]