The SMART 2020 transformation

Date

30 June 2008

By Molly Webb, Head of Smart Technologies, The Climate Group.

What do data centres, mobile phones or the internet have to do with climate change? A recent report by The Climate Group -- SMART 2020: Enabling the low carbon economy in the information age -- based on McKinsey analysis and developed on behalf of the Global e-Sustainabiity Initiative (GeSI) looks at both the direct and negative impact of information and communications technologies (ICT) and their enabling role in climate change solutions.

A lot of attention has focused recently on the negative impact of these products and services, and what can be done about the footprint of the information and communications technologies sector, currently contributing about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Our report goes further to identify the reductions possible through ICT- enabled climate change solutions like smart buildings, smart logistics, efficient motor systems and a smart electricity grid.

In total, 7.8 billion tonnes of CO2e can be reduced in 2020 through ICT solutions. Compare this to a much-needed solution like carbon capture and storage (CCS) which could reduce about 6 billion tonnes in 2050.

Check out the report at http://www.smart2020.org.

Get in touch with me directly if you'd like more information on upcoming activities or our programme of work on ICT and climate change. And, I'd love to hear your examples of ICT solutions for climate change.