Document Management News

Green IT must feature prominently in this week's Copenhagen climate change negotiations which start today, said industry body the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

ITU secretary-general Dr Hamadoun Touré said Copenhagen delegates must not miss the opportunity of harnessing advanced technologies to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions across a wide range of industry sectors.

"At Copenhagen we have a real and reachable opportunity to help save the planet through astute deployment of modern information and communication technologies (ICTs). Studies clearly show that more effective use of ICT can deliver tremendous CO2 emission savings," said Touré. "Put simply, ICT is the single most powerful tool humankind has at its disposal to avoid potential climate catastrophe," he said.

The ITU wants Copenhagen delegates to include specific mention of ICT in key areas of the negotiating text. It says the specific mention of the ICT sector, along with the adoption of an agreed methodology for measuring the carbon footprint of ICT equipment, and its inclusion in National Adaptation/Mitigation Plans, would provide an incentive to the ICT industry to invest in developing countries. This would also help reduce the digital divide while at the same time helping the fight against climate change, said the ITU.

The ITU is currently working with industry leaders to develop a standardised international methodology for measuring ICT carbon footprints, and hopes to seal an agreement on this new methodology in April 2020.

European Commission studies estimate overall emission reductions of over 40% could be achieved through the strategic application of ICT by 2050, some five times what ICT is estimated to contribute by way of emissions by that time.