Information and communications technology (ICT) has obviously transformed daily life but the role of ICT as a key tool in solving a range of global challenges is often overlooked. In this essay in "ICT World Today", published by the Korea Information Society Development Institute, Rob Atkinson explains how ICT has the potential to revolutionize the lives of people around the world, in developed and developing countries alike. While ICT alone cannot solve all of the problems facing nations, it can and should be a key part of solutions. The essay looks at four key global challenges and how ICT can address them: 1) raising productivity in developed nations to cope with the rising share of the population who will be elderly and in developing nations to help bring people out of poverty; 2) directly improving the quality of life of people in developing world; 3) addressing the challenge of global warming; and 4) increasing governmental transparency and global understanding and cooperation.
