The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) organized a
workshop on
"Understanding and Reducing the Environmental Footprint of ICTs" held
virtually on 25 November 2025 from 14h00 to 15h30 CET.
Understanding and reducing the environmental footprint of the ICT sector is becoming increasingly important as digital technologies expand worldwide. The sector plays a key role in enabling climate solutions, yet it also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and resource use. Reliable data and standardized methodologies are essential to measure, manage, and ultimately minimize these impacts — supporting both national sustainability goals and global climate commitments.
This workshop marked the launch of the ITU–Resilio Report on “Environmental Impacts of the ICT Sector in Switzerland”, which provides insights into the sector’s current footprint and pathways toward greater environmental efficiency.
The event showcased standards developed by ITU-T Study Group 5 for assessing and improving the environmental performance of ICTs, including:
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ITU-T L.1410: Methodology for environmental life cycle assessments of information and communication technology goods, networks and services
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ITU-T L.1450: Methodologies for the assessment of the environmental impact of the information and communication technology sector
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ITU-T L.1472: Requirements for the creation of an ITU database on energy consumption and GHG emissions of the ICT sector
The event contributes to the broader Green Digital Action (GDA) initiative, which unites countries and companies to ensure that digital transformation and environmental sustainability go hand in hand. The discussion will also provide the key highlights of COP30, where accelerating green digital solutions is central to achieving global climate goals.
The objective of the session were to :
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Launch the ITU-Resilio White Paper on the Environmental impacts of the ICT sector in Switzerland
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Showcase the applicability of ITU standards such as ITU-T L.1450 and ITU-T L.1410 in assessing environmental impact
Target Audience
Participation in the event was open to ITU Member States, Sector Members, Associates and Academic Institutions and 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, interested stakeholders, including telecom operators, regulators, Standard Development Organizations and financial institutions. Participation in the Workshop was free of charge.
Watch recording of the session here
Programme14:00 - 14:10
| Opening Remarks
- Seizo Onoe, Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU
- Dominique Würges, Chair, ITU-T Study Group 5 I Director, Institutional Relations for Standardisation, Orange: “Environment, EMF, Climate Action and Circular Economy”
|
| 14:10 - 14:40 | Session 1: Driving Sustainable Digital Transformation: ICT Standards and Environmental Reporting
Moderator: Dominique Würges, Chair, ITU-T Study Group 5 |
| 14:40 - 14:55 |
Session 2: White paper on the Environmental impacts of the ICT sector in Switzerland
Moderator: Dominique Würges, Chair, ITU-T Study Group 5 I Director, Institutional Relations for Standardisation, Orange |
14:55 - 15:25
|
Session 3: Panel Discussion: Why the Environmental Impacts of the ICT Sector Matter
- Mauro Moruzzi, Member, Neuchâtel Cantonal Parliament
- Guillaume Michalag, Head, Security and Integrations, Exoscale
- Shi Ying, Director, Green & Low-Carbon Tech. R&D Department, China Telecom Research
|
15:25 - 15:30
| Closing Remarks- Dominique Würges, Chair, ITU-T Study Group 5 I Director of Institutional Relations for Standardisation, Orange
|
