Information Commons for Global Sustainability

YARIME Masaru, University of Tokyo, Japan

In taking steps to achieve global sustainability, it is of critical importance to make appropriate use of data and information on diverse aspects ranging from natural environment and artifacts to economy and culture. Within each academic field data and information have been produced and accumulated at an ever-accelerating rate, thanks primarily to the recent remarkable progress in computation and communication technologies. They are rarely shared or disseminated effectively, however, beyond disciplinary boundaries. “Information commons” is expected to function as an essential part of intellectual infrastructure for utilizing ever-increasing amounts and types of data and information collaboratively among people with diverging experience and expertise. In this paper, the current practices are examined with regard to the collection and utilization of data and information in various fields including natural science, engineering, social science, and humanities, and the possibilities and challenges are identified in developing academic methodologies and implementing societal activities from technical, economic, and legal/institutional perspectives, with the aim of creating information commons for global sustainability.

Keywords : Information Commons, Global Sustainability, Database, Network, Innovation