| Work group:
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Q9/5 (Presentation Web page is available here)
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| Title:
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Assessing the impact of telecommunications/ICTs on climate change, biodiversity and the environment - including the influence on other sectors
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| Description:
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1 Motivation
Question 9/5 aims to develop assessment methodologies and guidance that allow the objective, transparent and practical assessments of the sustainability impacts of, for example, telecommunications/ICTs, artificial intelligence, and IMT-2020, in order to align their developmental trajectories with the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda.
Also taking into account the importance of climate change and biodiversity challenges as stressed by the IPCC 1.5-degree Special Report and the IPBES May 2019 Report on the severity of biodiversity loss and damages, and planetary limits assessments, this Question intends to particularly focus on these two topics as well.
The ICT sector has the responsibility to limit its own lifecycle impacts on climate change, biodiversity, and other environmental aspects. In parallel, the ICT sector can contribute to changing the current unsustainable consumption and production patterns, strengthening scientific, technological, innovative capacities, and supporting the implementation of the latest technologies that have been demonstrated to be sustainable.
Moreover, the ICT sector has a unique opportunity to shape behaviours in a more sustainable direction by accelerating climate change adaptation and mitigation actions, and other sustainability improvement ICTs are providing technologies that enhance the developments of climate models including emission trends in other sectors.
This Question also aims to study how environmental assessments may be used in the frame of broader sustainable development assessments including economic, environmental, and social assessments.
The Question is also in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 9 "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation"; SDG 11 "Make cities and human settlement inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable" and SDG 13 "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact".
The following Recommendations and supplements, in force at the time of approval of this Question, fall under its responsibility:
- ITU-T L.1400, L.1410, L.1420, L.1430, L.1440, L.1450, L.1451, L.1460, L.1470, L.1471, L.1480;
- L-series Supplements 2, 3, 13, 26, 34, 37, 38. 57 and 60.
2 Questions
Study items to be considered include, but are not limited to:
- Examine how to assess the climate, biodiversity and other environmental impact, of telecommunications/ICTs, including those which make use of artificial intelligence, IoT, IMT-2020, etc., at different levels - including rebound effects;
- Develop and provide detailed guidance on assessing the benefits brought by ICT goods, networks, and services in decarbonizing other economic sectors;
- Develop Recommendations and guidelines in the frame of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement to support climate change mitigation actions, reach IPBES biodiversity objectives, and stay within the planetary boundaries;
- Develop and update GHG emissions trajectories for at least 2030, 2040, 2050 and/or 2060 for the ICT sector, sub-sectors and organizations and provide targets guidance;
- Provide guidance and assistance for the regular, possibly yearly, assessment of the lifecycle GHG emissions of the ICT sector and sub-sectors worldwide;
- Provide guidance on the contents of an ITU database on GHG emissions worldwide, nationwide and potentially, emission factors;
- Develop and provide detailed guidance on recommended actions to follow in order to reach the 1.5°C trajectories described in Recommendation ITU-T L.1470, in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders;
- Explore how environmental assessments methodologies may be used in the frame of broader sustainable developments assessments including economic, environmental and social assessments;
- Establish a fact base regarding ICT in the frame of TCFD, regional taxonomies and similar initiatives from international organizations, governments, finance, and insurance sectors and develop guidance on how ICT actors can respond;
- Provide guidance towards end-users on the way for them to use ICT services in order to limit the GHG emissions resulting from these ICT services, while experiencing a similar or improved performance.
3 Tasks
Tasks include, but are not limited to:
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports on GHG emissions trajectories for at least 2030, 2040, 2050 and/or 2060 for the ICT sector, sub-sectors and organizations and provide targets guidance;
- Develop Recommendations on the methodologies to assess the positive/secondary effects/higher order effects environmental effects of telecommunications/ICTs (including those which make use of AI) in other sectors of the economy;
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports on the assessment of the benefits brought by ICT services in decarbonizing other economic sectors;
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports on the methodology for the assessment of the GHG emissions of telecommunications/ICTs at country/sector level, in line with the UNFCCC Paris Agreement;
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports on the methodology for the assessment of the biodiversity impact of telecommunications/ICTs at country/sector level in line with the IPBES recommendations and CBD framework;
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports to provide guidance on the ICT related assessment of environmental impacts such as rare metals depletion, biodiversity loss, ecosystems services impact, abiotic resources depletion, water eutrophication and soil contamination as applicable;
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports for the regular, possibly yearly, assessment of the lifecycle GHG emissions of the ICT sector and sub-sectors worldwide;
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports on recommended actions to follow in order to reach the 1,5°C trajectories described in ITU-T L.1470, in collaboration with the relevant stakeholder;
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports to assess the GHG emissions of telecommunications/ICTs at different levels (e.g., country, city, communities, industry etc), taking into account the Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., Paris Agreement, etc.) as applicable;
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports on a fact base regarding ICT in the frame of IFRS, regional taxonomies and similar initiatives from international organizations, governments, finance, and insurance sectors and develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports on how ICT actors can respond;
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports on the way for end-users to use ICT services in order to limit the GHG emissions resulting from these ICT services, while experiencing a similar or improved performance;
- Develop Recommendations, supplements and/or technical reports on how to establish and maintain an ITU database on ICT sector GHG emissions at national and worldwide level, and, potentially, emission factors;
- Revise existing Recommendations related to the assessment of the environmental impact of ICT as required, based on the practical experience of the methodologies gained by ITU-T Members, and taking into account developments in other forums and SDOs;
- Maintain and revise existing Recommendations and other deliverables as needed.
An up-to-date status of work under this Question is contained in the ITU-T SG5 work programme (https://www.itu.int/ITU-T/workprog/wp_search.aspx?sp=18&q=9/5).
4 Relationships
Recommendations:
- ITU-T L-series Recommendations
Questions:
- 6/5, 7/5, 11/5, 12/5
Study Groups:
- ITU-T SGs 13, 15, 16 and 20
- ITU-D
- ITU-R
Other bodies:
- CBD
- IFRS
- ISO
- IEC
- ETSI
- UNFCCC
- IPCC
- UNIDO
- UNECE
- UNEP
- WEF
- WBCSD
- WRI
- ULE
- CDP
- WMO
- ICC
- IEA
- GeSi
- SBTi
- IPBES
- UICN
- FutureEarth
- SBTi
- SBT for Nature
WSIS Action Lines:
- C2, C7
Sustainable Development Goals:
- 7, 11, 13
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| Comment:
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Continuation of Q9/5
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Acting rapporteur:
| Mr. | Jean-Manuel | Canet |
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Associate rapporteur:
| Ms. | Minako | Hara |
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Associate rapporteur:
| Ms. | Mengdi | Wang |
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Associate rapporteur:
| Ms. | Lina | Zuluaga |
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