“We all know that information and communication technologies (ICTs) have revolutionized our world...ICTs are also very vital to confronting the problems we face as a planet: the threat of climate change...Indeed ICTs are part of the solution. Already these technologies are being used to cut emissions and help countries adapt to the effects of climate change...Governments and industries that embrace a strategy of green growth will be environmental champions and economic leaders in the twenty-first century.”

Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General (Geneva, Switzerland, 5 October 2009)

"The ICT sector needs to measure its growing appetite for energy, so it can manage and reduce it.  Moreover, in its very own interest it should quantify its contribution to help reducing carbon emissions in other sectors .  Internationally agreed rigorous and transparent environmental accounting methods are indispensable for this task. The ICT industry's approach is progressing, especially by cooperating in international standardisation and with the ITU, and I encourage more firms to join this progress."

European Commission Vice-President, Neelie Kroes

“The ITU will continue to voice its message that ICT has an integral role to play in greening our global economy, and that sustainable development – whether related to ICT or not – cannot be achieved without collaborative mechanisms among industry sectors, and between industry and government. Applied in most sectors of an economy, ICT’s potential to combat climate change lies chiefly in its ability to reduce the carbon footprint of high energy-consuming sectors; particularly in energy generation, waste disposal, building construction and transportation.”

Malcolm Johnson, Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU

“Tackling climate change is not only a huge challenge for the world- it is also a significant opportunity. From smart grids, intelligent buildings and transport to e-commerce and e-health, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector can deliver innovative products and services that are instrumental in facilitating efficient and low-carbon development. It is time to ensure that a new generation of solution providers becomes a major part of all important initiatives and policies to tackle climate change. Creating a sustainable future requires nothing less than a shift from a “problem perspective” to a “solution perspective” at COP17.”

Luis Neves, Chairman, Global e-Sustainability Initiative

“Today’s great volume of ICTs presents a valuable opportunity to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change, and to provide local communities with a means to adapt to inevitable changes in our climate. ICTs empower their users to gain access to vital information on the environmental implications of their behavior, and the spread of ICTs thus initiates the spread of eco-friendly behaviour and the creation of a more sustainable global society.”

John Vassallo, VP Microsoft Europe

“Information and communication technologies (ICT) are not simply a way of organizing business to improve efficiency and increase competitiveness. The ICT services and infrastructure that enable the digital economy are now an integral part of everyday life. They encompass business, education, freedom of speech, entertainment, as well as social inclusion and health, reaching out to improve the well-being of our planet. The use of ICT can of itself affect climate change. But ICT can also be used to monitor and avoid the triggers of climate change. ICT will surely be used to steer future development along a more environmentally friendly path.  Its potential to be part of the solution should be recognized within the Durban agreements.”

Franco Bernabè, Chairman and CEO, Telecom Italia

“Our global economy depends on the connected world made possible by the technological innovation that has propelled our industry for more than a century.  What is different in this century is our better understanding of the limits of the world’s resources.  We know we need to dramatically reduce our impact on the environment while helping other industries reduce theirs.  That is why Alcatel-Lucent fully supports initiatives such as GreenTouch™, which brings together customers, competitors, universities and institutions to collaborate on the bold goal of making communications networks a 1000 times more energy efficient than they are today.”

Ben Verwaayen, CEO of Alcatel-Lucent

“Huawei supports ICT industry initiatives addressing green technology. For our part we are promoting many end-to-end green products including wind-solar power supply solutions. Huawei supports the actions taken by ITU to promote ICTs as part of the climate change solution as well as its work in developing the standards related to energy efficiency and climate change that industry needs.”

Wei Feng, Director of Standards, Huawei

“The opportunities to harness digital technologies to enable more sustainable lifestyles are everywhere: in our energy, transport and food systems, in our built environment, between machines and between individuals.  We need to encourage and support these innovations and the collaborative and transparent behaviours they enable.  Collaboration, innovation and transparency are central in successfully tackling the consumption challenge driving climate change.  COP17 needs to take crucial steps in these areas to accelerate positive change.”

Niall Dunne, Chief Sustainability Officer, BT

"The dire economic backdrop to COP17 gives rise for concern for a coherent political deal.  Politicians will no doubt point at more austerity measures whilst the private sector braces itself for another flat year and yet more bootstrapping through lay-offs, tightening up on capital expenditure or culling R&D roadmaps. The frustrating observation that some of us will draw at the close of COP17 is that this "double whammy" distracts attention away from the opportunity of simultaneously cutting costs and cutting carbon. The cliche of "don't waste a crisis" is still relevant for both the economy but also the environment. Our two technology days (30 nov and 1 dec) along with other initiatives with the ITU ICT/advanced electronics coalition aim to demonstrate these opportunities."

James Lovegrove, Managing Director, TechAmerica, Europe