4 prescriptions for a more sustainable 2030

Use technology to hold polluters accountable

By Ma Jun

THE GLOBALIZATION OF MANUFACturing has transformed some of the world’s poorest nations to unprecedented levels of economic prosperity. But the resulting increase in poorly controlled emissions and eco-degradation has caused unsustainable levels of local air and water pollution, destabilizing the climate and threatening biodiversity.

Just as the vast development of technology hastened this cycle of boom and doom, it can also help break it. Automated environmental monitoring, electronic reporting and web-based disclosure systems now available in the digital age create the possibility of new levels of accountability for environmental performance. Technology allows the public to scrutinize factory pollution problems, governments to make