Next
week, the Union will hold the 2008 session of its Council. On 12th and 13th
November, 2 Heads of States, 24 Ministers and over 300 VIPs and delegates
will attend the High Level Segment (HLS) of the Council. This year, the HLS
will address two societal issues of great interest fro our industry, the
role of ICTs in combating Climate Change and Cybersecurity, in particular
On-Line Child Protection.
Combating Climate Change through ICTs
Climate change is a concern for all
humanity and requires efforts on the part of everyone, including the
information and communication technologies (ICTs) sector. Although ICTs
contribute an estimated 2.5 per cent of total greenhouse gases, this
share will grow as usage of ICTs expands at a faster rate than the
general economy.
Although ICTs are part of the cause of
global warming, they can also be part of the solution, for instance
through the promotion of carbon displacement technologies. For example,
to avoid travel, by using telecommunications to work at home and to
participate in conferences.
ICTs also play a vital role in
monitoring changes in the climate, helping to identify new weather
patterns and the extent of global warming.
The HLS will provide an overview of the
role of ICTs in the wider context of the efforts by developed countries
to implement the Kyoto Protocol and by all countries to commit to more
ambitious reductions as part of the Bali Action Plan and negotiations
under the UNFCCC.
Cybersecurity
The Internet has transformed
modern life and continues to grow at an astonishing rate - ITU estimates
that, by the start of 2008, there were 1.3 billion Internet users
worldwide.
The strong growth in
Internet access has been accompanied by a proliferation in cyberthreats
and the risks of venturing online.
It is increasingly difficult
to protect end-users, especially more vulnerable users online such
as children, from the growing risks associated with online access.
No country is safe –
cybercriminals strike at will, and anonymously. Such far-reaching
challenges posed by these new and greater cyberthreats can only be
addressed at the global level.
We
would like to get your opinion on these issues. Your contributions will be
made available to the participants to the HLS and Council 2008. Please also
copy and send your contributions by email to
youth@itu.int We look forward to
receiving your contributions on these issues.
