Highlight Of Activities On Environment Protection During WSIS Forum 2012

WSIS Forum 2012 will be held in Geneva, Switzerland at the ILO Conference Center on 14-18 May 2012. The forum will provide a structured opportunity to network, learn and participate in multi-stakeholder discussions and consultations, addressing the issues raised by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Included in this one-week event will be four sessions focusing on the role of ICTs as a basic infrastructure that can assist in the transition towards a low-carbon ‘information society’. These sessions will explore the opportunities provided by technologies to move forward the sustainable development agenda.

Highlight of the main sessions

Tuesday, 15 May
High level debate - Advancing the Green ICT Agenda (14h-16h, Room IX) is a high level dialogue that will look at the role of ICTs as an enabler for sustainable development and the associated environmental challenges and opportunities related with the global uptake of ICTs. Aspects to be discussed in the session will include the use of ICTs to monitor, mitigate and adapt to climate change and improve resource efficiency, and the impacts of e-waste. Participants of this high level debate will include high level officials from government, business sector and international organization, who will share their vision and experience on the role of partnerships, policies, regulations and standards for advancing sustainable development through Green ICTs.

Wednesday, 16 May
Workshop 1 - E-waste: challenges, solutions and benefits (9h-10h45, Room IX). The consumption of electrical and electronic equipment is increasing rapidly throughout the globe with the fast uptake of ICTs, leading to corresponding increases in volume of electronic waste (e-waste). In developing countries high volumes of e-waste, in combination with absent or poor environmentally sound management systems, have manifold impacts on the environment, local communities and the economic systems. This session will provide an overview of the best practices on policies, regulations and standards for improving e-waste management. Panelists will discussion how e-waste poses environmental and health challenges, but also provides economic opportunities.

Workshop 2 - Climate Change Monitoring and Disaster Risk Reduction (11h-12h45, Room IX). This session which will look at the critical role that ICTs play in climate change monitoring and disaster preparation, response and recovery. The collection and use of accurate climate change data allows for forecasting, mitigating and adapting to climate change and extreme weather events. Early warning systems, monitoring infrastructure and remote sensing can save lives by improving and making more efficient responses to disasters and quickly disseminating information. Panelists will provide an overview of best practices and share case studies on projects using ICTs as a tool to monitor, prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Action line facilitation meeting - Revisiting E-Environment @ WSIS Roundtable Discussion (16h15 – 18h, Room VI). This dynamic roundtable discussion will share lessons learned by all stakeholders from implementing programmes, initiatives and public policies related to the use of ICTs for environmental protection, and look at new elements and considerations that could be recommended in the WSIS+10 review. The outcomes will be shared at other major UN conferences and summits, including Rio+20.  

Find attached the main program of the event.

Register now at www.wsis.org/forum, where you will find updated information about the event.