--- title: "Technology: opportunities, challenges and conflicts" subject: "Technology, Environment and Society" chapter: 1 key: "semester_7/technology_environment_and_society:tech-opportunities-conflicts" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/tech-opportunities-conflicts site: BCT Engineering --- # Technology: opportunities, challenges and conflicts Technology, Environment and Society · Chapter 1: Technology - Asked in: 2082 Bhadra, 8 marks - Video: [The Dual Edged Sword of Technological Progress : Opportunities and Challenges](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eDAXp8AryE) — Technomics - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/tech-opportunities-conflicts - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/chapter-1 ## Question "Technology creates both opportunities and challenges in our society, but also leads to conflicts." Justify this statement with suitable examples. ## Short answer Technology brings opportunities like economic growth, better health, education and governance, but also challenges such as unemployment, digital divide, pollution and cyber crime. Conflicts arise because benefits and costs are unequal, for example development versus environment, machine versus labour, and privacy versus security. These can be managed through impact assessment, participation and ethical regulation. ## Answer Technology is a tool. It opens **opportunities** for growth and welfare, brings **challenges** that society must manage, and leads to **conflicts** because its benefits and costs are not shared equally. The statement is justified as follows. #### Opportunities - **Economic growth and jobs:** IT outsourcing, e-commerce, digital payments (e.g. mobile wallets in Nepal) and tourism create new businesses and employment. - **Health:** vaccines, telemedicine and modern diagnostics increase life expectancy; remote health posts consult specialists by video. - **Education:** online learning and digital libraries reach remote students. - **Energy and infrastructure:** hydropower, solar and roads improve living standards; Nepal now exports electricity to India. - **Agriculture:** improved seeds, irrigation, weather and market price information on mobiles increase farmers' income. - **Governance:** online services, e-procurement and the right to information improve transparency. #### Challenges - **Unemployment** of unskilled workers due to automation. - **Digital divide** between urban and rural, rich and poor. - **Environmental damage:** air pollution, e-waste, plastic, climate change. - **Cultural erosion** and changing family values. - **Cyber crime, privacy loss, misinformation** and social-media addiction. - **Dependence on imported technology** and foreign experts. #### Conflicts (with examples) | Type of conflict | Example | |---|---| | Development vs environment | Hydropower dams and roads cause displacement, landslides and loss of forests; local protests demand compensation | | Machine vs labour | Excavators on road projects reduce jobs for local labourers | | Upstream vs downstream | Irrigation or hydropower diversion reduces water for downstream users | | Traditional vs modern | Chemical fertilisers vs organic farming; modern medicine vs traditional healers | | Privacy vs security | CCTV and phone tracking help police but intrude on privacy | | Benefit vs misuse | Nuclear power vs nuclear weapons; ultrasound vs sex-selective abortion | | Between nations | Trans-boundary water sharing, technology and trade disputes | | Generations | Youths adopt new lifestyles; elders resist change | #### Managing the balance - Environmental and social impact assessment (EIA/IEE) before projects. - Participation of affected communities, fair compensation and benefit sharing (e.g. local shares in hydropower projects). - Appropriate and labour-based technology where suitable. - Laws and ethics to prevent misuse; skill training to handle job shifts. Hence technology brings both opportunity and challenge, and because people gain and lose differently, conflict is natural. Good policy and ethical engineering can turn these conflicts into shared benefits. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. According to the answer, why does technology lead to conflicts? A. Because technology is always harmful B. Because its benefits and costs are not shared equally C. Because technology is too expensive for everyone D. Because new technology replaces all old laws Answer: B. Different groups gain and lose differently from the same technology, so conflict is natural. (Key point: Why conflicts arise) 2. Which example best shows a 'development vs environment' conflict? A. CCTV used by police B. Hydropower dams and roads causing displacement, landslides and forest loss C. Youths adopting new lifestyles D. Ultrasound used for sex-selection Answer: B. Dams and roads bring development but damage forests and displace people, leading to protests for compensation. (Key point: Development vs environment conflict) 3. CCTV and phone tracking helping police but intruding on personal life is an example of which conflict? A. Machine vs labour B. Upstream vs downstream C. Privacy vs security D. Traditional vs modern Answer: C. They improve security but reduce privacy. (Key point: Privacy vs security) 4. Which measure is suggested to manage the balance between benefits and costs of a project? A. Banning all new technology B. Environmental and social impact assessment with community participation and fair compensation C. Importing more foreign experts D. Starting construction before consulting people Answer: B. EIA/IEE, participation, compensation and benefit sharing reduce conflicts. (Key point: Managing the balance) ## Related in Technology, Environment and Society - [Impact of technology on environment and society](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Atech-impact-environment-society) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 1, asked 2× - [Nepal least responsible but most affected](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Anepal-least-responsible-cc) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 6 - [Labor-based technology and irreversibility](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Alabor-based-tech-irreversible) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 1 - [Short note: Technology as curse and blessing](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Atech-curse-and-blessing) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 1 - [Industrial society entering information society](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aindustrial-to-info-society) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 3, asked 2× - [Renaissance as foundation of industrial society](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Arenaissance-foundation-industrial) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 3 ## Related in other subjects - [Opportunities, challenges and HDP comments](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fhydropower_engineering%3Aopportunities-challenges-hdp) — Hydropower Engineering, chapter 1, asked 2× - [Impact of technology on society](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Atechnology-impact-society) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 1, asked 3× - [Appropriate technology and impact on society](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Aappropriate-technology-society-impact) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 1 - [Transparency: importance and challenges](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fdistributed_system%3Atransparency-importance-challenges) — Distributed System, chapter 1