The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), together with the Ministry of Transport, Telecommunications and Artificial Intelligence Systems of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and other partners, organized the 16th Symposium on ICTs, Environment, Climate Change and Circular Economy, from 19-22 May 2026 in Malabo, Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
The theme of this year’s Symposium was “Driving Digital Climate Action through Standards for Environmental Sustainability and Circular Economy.”
Accelerating digital transformation in Africa is key to addressing environmental, climate, and public health challenges, while bridging gaps in connectivity, energy access, affordability, and infrastructure. As digital technologies — including data- and energy-intensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) — expand, standards-based, context-appropriate solutions are needed to ensure sustainability without deepening inequalities. This includes resource-efficient and “right-sized” AI approaches, such as smaller models, TinyML and Edge AI, enabling deployment in low-resource environments while reducing energy consumption and environmental impacts.
Key discussions focused on energy and material efficiency, sustainable networks and data centres, and their role in supporting ICT solutions and AI-driven services, while ensuring responsible use of energy, materials and water. This included approaches such as ecodesign, energy- and resource-efficient ICT and AI systems, optimized model design, and transparency frameworks to better understand and reduce the environmental footprint of digital technologies.
The Symposium also addressed Digital Product Information Systems (DPIS), including Digital Product Passports, as enablers of transparency, traceability, and circular value chains, and served as a regional consultation for Africa contributing to the development of a global DPIS framework. The event included Bridging the Standardization Gap (BSG) sessions to strengthen regional capacity, enhance participation in international standardization, and support the implementation of ITU-T Recommendations on climate action, circular economy, EMF safety, and emerging technologies. It also fostered knowledge exchange on sustainable digital transformation and environmentally sustainable ICT solutions, including emerging areas such as AI, supporting policymakers and experts in integrating environmental sustainability into digital strategies and infrastructure planning.
The Symposium contributed to the broader Green Digital Action (GDA) initiative and also contributed to the ITU Africa Regional Initiatives on the promotion of digital solutions supporting the circular economy and climate action, fostering innovation and new digital applications.
It also highlighted key outcomes from COP30, UNEA-7, and other relevant global processes, where standards-based digital solutions are central to achieving climate and sustainability goals. The Symposium further benefited from collaboration with international partners working at the intersection of digital transformation and sustainability, including areas such as AI governance, circular design, and e-waste management, contributing to global efforts to promote environmentally responsible, resource-efficient and inclusive digital solutions, particularly in developing and low-resource contexts.
The Symposium was held in conjunction with the ITU-T Study Group 5 Regional Group for Africa Meeting, which took place from 19-22 May 2026.
Objectives:
- To highlight the environmental footprint and enabling role of digital technologies, including AI and data centres, by promoting standards-based approaches that support climate mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable digital development in energy- and connectivity-constrained contexts.
- To promote energy-efficient and sustainable digital infrastructure, including networks and data centres, to support digital growth while improving resilience, affordability, and responsible resource use.
- To promote the development and adoption of energy-efficient and resource-efficient artificial intelligence, including approaches such as TinyML, Edge AI and compact models, to reduce the environmental footprint of AI systems while enabling innovation and deployment in low-resource environments.
- To advance circular economy and transparency through discussions on Digital Product Information Systems (DPIS), including Digital Product Passports, eco-design, e-waste management, and standards for sustainable consumption and production.
- To emphasize the importance of policies and national digital strategies, climate strategies and regulatory frameworks related to sustainable digital infrastructure and circular economy.
- To strengthen regional capacity and engagement in international standardization through Bridging the Standardization Gap (BSG) training and dialogue, supporting effective participation and implementation of ITU-T Recommendations across Africa.
Expected Outcomes:
- Identification of regional priorities for sustainable ICT infrastructure.
- Participation of African countries in the development and implementation of Digital Product Information Systems
- Strengthen regional engagement in ITU-T standardization work
Target audience:
Participation in the Symposium was open to ITU Member States, Sector Members, Associates and Academic Institutions, as well as to any individual from a country that is a member of ITU who wishes to contribute to the work. This includes individuals who are also members of international, regional and national organizations. Participation was free of charge.
See detailed steps to register here
Malabo Declaration:
The symposium concluded with the Malabo Declaration, which is currently available in
English,
French and
Spanish.
Programme Overview
| Day 1 Tuesday 19 May 2026
| Day 2 Wednesday 20 May 2026
| Day 3 Thursday 21 May 2026
| Day 4 Friday 22 May 2026
|
Morning
| 16th ITU Symposium on ICTs, Environment, Climate Change and Circular Economy (Part 1)
Dedicated to Sustainable and Resilient ICT Infrastructure - Green Digital Infrastructure and Environmental Impact of ICTs.
| 16th ITU Symposium on ICTs, Environment, Climate Change and Circular Economy (Part 2)
Dedicated to Climate Action, Energy Efficiency, and Sustainable Resource Use for Digital Infrastructure.
| 16th ITU Symposium on ICTs, Environment, Climate Change and Circular Economy (Part 3)
Dedicated to Digital Product Information Systems (DPIS), E-waste, and Circular Economy.
| Regional Consultations Toward a DPIS Framework
|
Afternoon
| 16th ITU Symposium on ICTs, Environment, Climate Change and Circular Economy (Part 1)
| 16th ITU Symposium on ICTs, Environment, Climate Change and Circular Economy (Part 2)
| Regional Consultation on DPIS framework
| Regional Consultations Toward a DPIS Framework
|
