ITU Symposia on ICTs and Climate Change

Climate change is a concern for all of humanity. The Earth’s climate is influenced by factors such as the amount of green house gases (GHG) in the atmosphere emitted by all sectors of the economy. Since 1970, the production of GHG has risen by more than 70 per cent causing changing weather patterns. Moreover, it is expected that the global effects of climate change, including deforestation could increase the likelihood of floods and droughts caused by severe atmospheric and oceanic disturbances, affecting not only ecosystems but also human habitat.

Countries are required to take the necessary steps related to transfer of technology, funding, farming, insurance, deforestation, adaptation, mitigation, developing of new policies, monitoring etc.

ICTs can contribute to combat climate change and its consequences by playing an important role in environmental protection, for instance, besides working to reduce its own emissions which are estimated to be around 2 to 2.5 per cent of the total of GHG emissions, could help indirectly to reduce GHG emissions belonging to other sectors, as well as, in climate monitoring, farming, helping to avoid further deforestation and setting up the necessary communications networks in the major emergencies and disasters around the world.

As part of a major initiative on ICTs and climate change, ITU is organizing Symposia on ICTs and Climate Change. These symposia bring together key specialists in the field, from top decision-makers to engineers, designers, planners, government officials, regulators, standards experts and others. Topics presented and discussed include the adaptation and mitigation of the effects of climate change in the ICT sector and in other sectors, ‘green’ ICT policy frameworks, and the use of ICTs in climate change science and in emergency situations.

The Symposia are transmitted via the Internet in order in order that remote participants can see and hear presentations from wherever they are in the world.