As the world's nations and peoples move toward the next century, the ability to match the pressures of growth with the protection of finite natural resources, to balance the needs of economies and the environment, becomes more and more essential. Last year, again, the company pushed ahead with innovations and initiatives to make it more eco-efficient and help the world develop in a more sustainable manner. It's no small undertaking. Despite solid gains in many areas, many difficult problems remain.
Information is at the heart of the matter.
In all of this, information technology seems destined to play a central role. Information technology has enabled a multitude of modeling, visualization, and simulation solutions that help conserve resources and facilitate sustainability. And information technology itself continues to become more eco-efficient. Here is a sampling of ways information technology is contributing to environmental solutions and sustainable development. The Internet is enabling a tremendous increase in the sharing of information.