Task Force on Environmental Sustainability

Environment and human well-being: A practical strategy
Authors: Don Melnick, Jeffrey McNeely, Yolanda Kakabadse Navarro, Guido Schmidt-Traub, Robin R. Sears
Publisher: UNDP, 2005, Pages: 160
ISBN: 1844072282, Price: 45 USD

This report is environmental analysis by the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Environmental Sustainability with a focus on action plan for the Task Force.

The book is structured in two parts and six chapters. Part one (chapter one, two and three) traces the existing problem and explains the need for and the complexity involved in operationalizing environmental sustainability. The book traces key issues of environmental degradation and explain clearly and concisely the link between environmental sustainability and other Millennium Development Goals. While the first part focuses on what drives environmental change with an analytical framework of case studies and regional diagnosis, part two traces the possible ways of investing in environmental management for different ecosystems.

The book concludes with principal implementing strategies for national and regional implementation mechanisms which is useful for policy makers at the same to those who are trying to navigate their way through the varied terrains of the Millennium Development Goals. Environment and Human Well-Being, in conjunction with the flagship publication Investing in Development, is one of 13 thematic publications that comprise the UN Millennium Library.<

ICT Policy: A Beginner’s Handbook
Editor : Chris Nicol
Publisher: Association of Progressive Commons, 2003, Pages: 140
ISBN: 1-919855-10-6, Price: 10 USD (Plus postage and packing)

“ICT Policy: A Beginner’s Handbook” takes the mystery out of information and communication technology (ICT) policy. Whether one is a member of the civil society organization, a researcher, an activist, a journalist looking for background information, or someone who is simply interested in the topic, this book will help to get grips with the key issues in the field.

This book aims to guide non-specialist through some of the policy issues of communication and sharing of information and enables its readers to engage effectively with the decision-making process. The book identifies issues and addresses then without using technical jargons. It provides concrete examples of recent policy landmarks and debates, as well as background knowledge that will serve as a basis for further investigation. The books is divided into four parts that explains ICT policy, the Internet as a media, how policy and regulations are decided, with an appendices in the end designed to help the readers understand some of the technical terminology. The list of organization at the end also gives an idea of who is working in the field and also how to get in contact with them.

This book was a result of a multi-stakeholder partnership between the Association of Progressive Communications, the leading international civil society group on ICT policy issues, and the common wealth Telecommunications Organizations. <

Information Technology Security Handbook
Authors: George Sadowsky, James X. Dempsey, Alan Greenberg, Barbara J. Mack, Alan Schwartz
Publisher: Global Information and Communication Technologies Department, World Bank, 2003, Pages: 389
ISBN: 0-9747888-0-5

This is a practical guide to understanding and implementing IT security at home on in business environment. The book although aimed primarily for readers in developing countries, provides best practices valid in any situations. In addition to summarizing current physical and electronic threats to IT security, the handbook also explores management practices, regulatory environments and patterns of cooperation that exists among businesses, governments, professional organaizations and international agencies.

The handbook is structured in five parts that elaborates the general issues of security in an electronic age, security options for individuals who use computing and networking resource for a variety of purposes, administrative and policy aspects of security from an organizational point of view, security issues that needs to be handled at the governmental level and guide to helping system and network administrators to perform theoir duties effectively.

This Handbook, funded by a grant from the infoDev Program of the World Bank Group, provides technology-independent best practices as well as recommendations for particular IT environments.