Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Environment

In the past few years, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) applications have been widely transformed human life. Based on theoretical principles, it seems that ICT through digitalizing of economic activities can improve environmental quality. This hypnosis is not verifiable simply and needs case studies researches. This article shed light on this point in a macro level, through cross-country approach.To do that we selected two separated groups of countries, which are: OECD countries as highly developed ones and some of the developing counties (including Iran) and developed a generic model and estimated it through Panel Data technique for 1990-2005. The results imply a significant but light observable impact of Information and Communication Technology on environment in developed countries. However, in developing countries it doesnt make sense significantly. It seems that developed countries would be able to achieve the maturity threshold of ICT application and consequently benefit from its capabilities to preserve the environment which developing countries have long way to achieve this.