At the ongoing UN Conference on Climate Change in Bali, Indonesia, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is presenting the case that
ICT can play a vital role in combating climate change. They can be used
for remote monitoring of climate change and gathering important
scientific data – for instance, using telemetry or remote sensing by
satellite. Furthermore, smart technologies can usher in a whole new
generation of energy-efficient products, notably in next-generation
networks.
ITU pointed out that the proliferation of ICT products in homes and
offices, and their deployment throughout the world, places an
increasingly heavy burden on energy consumption.
In addition, the move to “always-on” services, like broadband or mobile phones on standby, has greatly increased energy consumption compared with fixed-line telephones, which do not require an independent power source.
However, the ITU underlined an active commitment to promote the use of ICT as a positive force to reduce greenhouse emissions and to find ways to mitigate the effects of climate change.
http://www.itu.int
