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 ITU Symposia on ICTs and Climate Change
 Kyoto, Japan, 15-16 April 2008
 London, UK, 17-18 June 2008
Contact: Ms. Cristina Bueti

ITU Symposia on ICTs and Climate Change

Since 1970, the production of greenhouse gases has risen by more than 70 per cent, and this is having a global effect in warming the planet, causing changing weather patterns, rising sea-levels, desertification, shrinking ice cover and other worrying long-term effects. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) foresees a further rise in average global temperatures of between 1.4 and 5.8° centigrade by 2030.

Climate change is a concern for all of humanity and requires efforts on the part of all sectors of society, including the information and communication technologies (ICTs) sector. Although ICTs contribute only an estimated 2.5 per cent of total greenhouse gases, this share is set to grow as usage of ICTs expands globally, growing at a faster rate than the general economy. ICTs are thus part of the cause of global warming, but they can also be part of the solution, for instance through the promotion of carbon displacement technologies. ICTs are also vital in monitoring the spread of global warming.

As part of a major new initiative on the overall topic of ICTs and climate change, ITU organised two Symposia on ICTs and Climate Change. The first was held in Kyoto, Japan 15-16 April 2008, hosted by MIC Japan, and the second was held in London, UK, on 17-18 June, hosted by BT. These symposia brought together key specialists in the field, from top decision-makers to engineers, designers, planners, government officials, regulators, standards experts and others.

The Symposia proceedings are available as a webinar in order that remote participants can see and hear presentations from wherever they are in the world.

ITU-T Activities on ICT and Climate Change

 
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RELATED INFORMATION DOCUMENTATION AND REGISTRATION

General Information

London Symposium:

Kyoto Symposium:

ITU and Climate Change

The ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) manages the detailed coordination and recording procedures for space systems and earth stations, which are used for climate data collection and environmental monitoring. [more…]

ITU's Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) develops standards that are used, for instance, in promoting energy efficiency, safe disposal and recycling of telecommunication/ICT equipment, and next-generation networks. [more…]

ITU's Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D) works on promoting a role for ICTs in the protection of the environment in its e-Environment and e-Sustainability programmes. [more…]

The General Secretariat coordinates our efforts and for example has been actively participating in the work of the UN Chief Executives Board and its subsidiary bodies on developing a unified and collaborative UN strategy to combat climate change, including a matrix on activities of each agency and program. [more…]

WSIS ICT Success Stories highlight some of the ongoing and successful ICT development projects in the field of e-Environment taking place around the world. [more…]

Resources on ICTs and Climate Change

Our reference site provides links to external resources: background papers, additional information, statistics, and examples, that cover the positive and negative impact that ICTs have on the climate. [more]



ITU Background Paper on ICTs and Climate Change

This report, prepared especially for the two symposia on ICTs and Climate Change, looks at the potential role that information and communication technologies (ICTs) play in climate change, not only in contributing to global warming, but also in monitoring it, mitigating its impact and helping adaptation in some of the most vulnerable parts of the globe. The report also looks at the activities of the three ITU Sectors that are relevant to this topic.   pdf PDF



Acknowledgment: We offer our sincere thanks to Marie-Claire Monnet who donated the artwork “Nature is love” designed especially for ITU's Climate Change Symposia.

CLIMATE CHANGE NEWSLOG
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