Digital Futures

2 E-topia? Scenarios for e-commerce and sustainability

Malcolm Eames, Frans Berkhout, Julia Hertin, Richard Hawkins and Gordon Mackerron

Introduction

This chapter presents some ideas about how e-commerce could develop in the UK over the next 10 to 20 years, and the social and environmental implications that may follow. A number of alternative futures are possible – all futures depend upon the choices made now. If the right choices can be made at this early stage in the development of the digital economy, greater benefits will result and potential dangers can be avoided.

However, looking at the future is never easy. We need to be both creative and modest. Some social and economic development will continue along the traditional lines, but the unexpected ...