The World Bank has called for wider access to digital technologies to help protect vulnerable populations and natural resources as environmental pressures intensify worldwide.
In a blog post published in 2025 following the release of its report Reboot Development: The Economics of a Livable Planet, the Bank said digital tools are becoming essential to help communities cope with climate shocks, pollution and resource scarcity.
According to the Bank, nine out of ten people now live in areas affected by land degradation, air pollution or unsafe or scarce water. Low-income countries are the most exposed, often facing all three challenges at once, a combination that threatens public health, livelihoods and long-term economic growth.
The Bank said digital technologies can improve access to reliable information, strengthen early warning systems and connect at-risk communities to critical services such as healthcare, clean water and financial support. It noted that digital platforms are already transforming disaster response by enabling real-time alerts, coordinated evacuations and rapid delivery of emergency funds during floods, droughts and other climate-related crises.
However, the Bank warned that access to digital tools remains highly uneven. In South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, fewer than 45 percent of adults use the internet, compared with more than 80 percent in many other regions. It described this gap as a growing “resilience divide” that leaves millions without timely warnings or access to emergency assistance.
To narrow this divide, the World Bank said it is backing projects to expand digital infrastructure and early warning systems. In Sri Lanka, the Bank-supported MOBILISE platform combines real-time weather forecasts, sensors and vulnerability data to improve disaster coordination. During the 2024 monsoon floods in Kalutara district, the system helped speed up emergency responses and save lives.
Beyond disaster management, the Bank said digital tools are also boosting agricultural productivity and resilience. Technologies such as remote sensing, mobile advisory services and digital marketplaces are helping farmers optimise inputs, cut waste and secure better prices. In Ethiopia, a World Bank-supported programme using machine learning to guide fertiliser use across 20,000 wheat farms increased yields by 25 percent, lifting profits by about $580 per hectare per season.
Digital technologies are also playing a growing role in forest protection, the Bank said, with satellite imagery, drones and artificial intelligence enabling real-time detection of deforestation. Blockchain and traceability systems are helping ensure deforestation-free supply chains, while initiatives such as the World Bank-led Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Programme allow countries to share data to improve monitoring and policymaking.
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The World Bank said closing digital access gaps and scaling up innovative technologies will be critical to helping communities anticipate climate risks, safeguard natural resources and support sustainable economic growth.
