The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) emphasised that information and communication technologies (ICTs) were vital in assisting with the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as adapting to climate change and its effects.

In the report ‘Using ICTs to tackle climate change’ the two organisations highlighted that this could be done in three main ways.

Firstly, by the ICT sector reducing its own emissions, secondly, by cutting emissions and raising energy efficiency in other sectors through use of ICT, and thirdly, by using ICT-based systems to monitor weather and the environment, as well as to swiftly transmit data, analysis and alerts.

“ICTs are powerful tools for reducing emissions in every other sector. They also play an essential role in climate science. And because of this major role, they offer one of the most significant opportunities to reduce GHG emissions, especially in those industries that are among the highest producers of carbon dioxide, such as energy generation, waste disposal, construction and transport,” commented ITU secretary-general Hamadoun Touré.

“Actual implementation of sustainable ICT is a critical step in achieving sustainable development. ICT can have a net enabling effect that contributes to a low carbon economy, starting with the supply chain, energy efficiency in the use phase, all the way through end of life management. When ICTs are applied, measurement of this net effect compared to business as usual is possible,” stated GeSI chairperson Luis Neves.

The authors of the report noted that the environmental impact of ICT was being tackled through the introduction of more efficient equipment and networks, together with improved waste management through the lifecycle of electronic devices.

The report stated that for every watt of energy saved by one-billion end users of ICT equipment, one power plant was no longer required.

It was noted that all sectors of the economy could reduce their energy needs (and thus by extension, their GHG emissions) through ICT. For example, ICT could increase the efficiency of power systems in ‘smart’ grids that distribute electricity with less waste and could harness the power from renewable resources.

The report also highlighted the importance of ICT in monitoring the Earth’s climate and weather, and in warning of natural disasters.

“Thousands of lives are saved every year through monitoring systems that use data from satellites as well as sensors on land and sea,” said ITU.

To ensure that these operations took place without interference, ITU, as the international steward of the limited resource of radio-frequency spectrum, allocated the necessary frequencies and approved technical standards.

Computing power and broadband networks were essential in analysing these monitoring data, and transmitting the results.

In addition, the report noted that ICTs - and especially broadband Internet access - were playing an increasing role in delivering services that helped to create and support a sustainable future.

These included online access to education and medical services, often in remote communities, as well as information that helped to protect food security.

“Within the next ten years, up to 250-million people living in Africa will experience increased water stress, and crop yields in some African countries are expected to drop by half,” said the report.

ICT was heralded as being able to systematically monitor world supplies and shortages of water and food crops, as well as deliver advice to farmers on how to improve yields.

Under the Bali Action Plan, issued in 2007 at the 13th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, ICTs were included in actions to promote technology-based sustainable development, including mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change.

The report called for the inclusion of ICTs in national mitigation plans.