It is estimated that the ICT Sector produces directly some 2-3 per cent of total emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and this share will increase as ICTs and the Internet continue to grow. Broadband deployment and the increasingly intense use of the Internet will contribute to the rise in GHG emissions. Although ICTs contribute to global warming, they can also help in reducing the GHG emissions of other sectors. For example, by replacing the need for travel and by improving transport efficiency, ICTs help to reduce the carbon footprint of individuals and companies.

This Event will examine what the ICT industry can do to reduce its own carbon footprint and how it can help other sectors to combat climate change. It will look at the mitigation impact of ICTs on other sectors of the economy and the impact of new communication technologies and the evolving nature of the Internet. It will examine what kind of objectives might be established for the reduction in GHG emissions through ICTs that could be achieved through ITU standards. The role of ICTs in helping developing countries to adapt to climate change will also be addressed.
 

Keynote: Malcolm Johnson, Director, ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau
[ BIOGRAPHY | SPEECH]

Speakers:

1. Toward a High Bandwidth Low Carbon future (Don MacLean, IISD)
   [ BIOGRAPHY | PRESENTATION ]
2. Broadband Energy Saving Approaches (Mark Carvell, BERR, UK)
   [ BIOGRAPHY ]
3. ICTs and the environment: Tackling the next 98% (Graham Vickery, OECD)
   [ BIOGRAPHY ]
4. Monitoring Climate Change in the Himalayas (Guarab Raj Upadhaya, Nepal Wireless)
   [ PRESENTATION ]
5. Next-Generation Networks and Energy Efficiency (Arthur Levin, ITU-T)
   [ BIOGRAPHY | PRESENTATION]