When combined, this results in a massive growth in the ICT sector’s carbon footprint, which currently contributes from 2 to 4 percent of the global green house gas emission.. Greenpeace's report, Make IT Green: Cloud Computing and its Contribution to Climate Change, reveals that the current growth rate of digital infrastructure poses a significant threat to the ICT sector's ability to maintain a low carbon profile.
While the impact of emissions from the ICT industry on climate change is being recognized, the potential that exists for the sector to catalyse big solutions in responding to this problem, cutting across sectors is yet to be amplified, recognised, utilised and harnesses sufficientlyICT technologies can effectively harness the potential to create decentralized systems of energy production, which would also pave the way for a significant increase in renewable energy and putting end consumers in better command of their electricity use. Such a dynamic new energy platform has the potential for unlocking tremendous energy savings and the creation of thousands of new clean energy companies thereby significantly reducing emissions while generating new jobs.
The Smart 2020 report by The Climate Group and Global e-Sustainability Initiative clearly makes the case and potential for ICT based technological solutions. This would help in reducing 15 % of global GHG emission by 2020 while delivering energy efficiency measures, resulting in over $ 1 trillion in savings to global business when applied across the economy. –The ICT sector has an opportunity to play a pivotal role in catalyzing an energy revolution, given its inherent nature and ability to innovate and provide technological solutions. As much as Climate Change is the challenge to respond to, the problem presents a significant business opportunity for the ICT sector.
The CEO Roundtable entitled “Decarbonised Economy: Opportunities and Responsibilities of the ICT Sector in a Changing Climate”, initiated by Greenpeace and organized by CIOL, is an attempt to engage the ICT sector to take on a more active and responsive role in the Climate debate and influencing it. As much as the issue presents a problem, and traverses politics at a national, regional and global level in its holistic complexity, the issue also provides a business opportunity for the ICT Sector – the development and application of technological innovations across sectors, a win for the sector, a win for the planet.
We would like to cordially invite you to be part of this business round table to be held on November 18th, 2010 in New Delhi.
More details about the agenda are available at http://www.ciol.com/greenpeace/Agenda.aspx
You can register for the event at http://www.ciol.com/Greenpeace/Registration.aspx