When Technology is the Hero...

In the times of climate and carbon apprehensions, technology can be an
effective panacea.

As 2010 began with many countries starting to either emerge from or look
forward to emerging from the recession, it is important to look back and assess
the lessons weve been taught. There has been a need to ensure that weve
learned from our collective financial mistakes in terms of the markets, debt and
credit lending.

But its also important to look at the positive things that have been proven
by the downturn because positivity drives progress. With climate change
presenting arguably the most global and serious problem mankind has ever
encountered, the need for optimism and confidence in our ability to tackle it is
paramount.

ICT to the Rescue

Before the recession hit hard, SMART 2020, a report by The Climate Group,
outlined a highly positive vision of how the ICT industry could not only
contribute to the climate change solution, but play a significant role. It
acknowledged that the ICT sectors own emissions are expected to increase from
0.53 bn tonnes of CO2 in 2002 to 1.43 bn tonnes in 2020. Specific ICT
opportunities were also identified in the report that could lead to emission
reductions five times the size of the sectors own footprint, up to 7.8 bn
tonnes or 15% of the worlds emissions by 2020.

Among its highly practical examples were smart buildings which could save 15%
of North Americas buildings emissions; and smart grids which could globally
reduce carbon emissions by 2.03 bn tonnes.

As we emerge from the recession, it is important we keep our eyes on positive
ideas such as these, and pursue any and all ways in which technology can support
the fight to tackle and adapt to climate change.

Chief among the lessons in positivity that the recession has taught us is
that businesses can strive for and achieve a lower carbon footprint and a lower
cost base without the weakening of security or productivity.

One impact of the global recession has been a timely revision of the role of
mobile working and the technology that enables it can play in organizations that
are striving for sustainability while seeking to drive down costs. CIOs had to
reconsider the mobility imperative, and to present a fresh and coherent case of
how mobile their enterprise needs to be. While global attitude towards the
environment will remain vigilant in 2010 and beyond, CIOs will need to prove
both financial and sustainability returns on any investment in mobility
technology. The ability to cut carbon emissions will be valued only if it is
balanced by an ability to cut costs.

Consider one simple example: imagine a single meeting in London with one
delegate flying from New York and one from Hong Kong to discuss a product they
are working on. According to ClimateCare, part of JP Morgans Environmental
Markets group, this meeting would emit almost 5 tonnes of CO2 from the air
travel alone.

Also, the cost of business travel (2,083 return from New York and 3,702
return from Hong Kong) plus the time spent in the air (seven and a half hours
from New York and twelve and a half hours from Hong Kong) means that the overall
cost of this single meeting would run to five figuresover 10,000 for a
meeting.

Using readily-available technology, the same meeting can now take place with
minimal fuss in real-time with ideas, data and materials shared over a secure
network. This can be repeated multiple times every week, if necessary, for a
relatively small cost and with a relatively small carbon footprint.

On October 9, 2009, the European Commission announced that the ICT sector
should lead the transition to an energy-efficient economy. Europes ICT sector
should agree on common energy consumption measures, overtake the EUs 2020
targets by 2015 and make innovative use of ICT to make Europe a low carbon
economy. The EC said that replacing 20% of European business trips by
videoconferencing could save more than 22 mn tonnes of CO2 per year. It also
said that broadband facilitating an increased use of online public services
could save 2% of the total worldwide energy use by 2020.

These are positive and encouraging facts. The ICT industry should feel
empowered by them. It has a real chance to make a genuine difference. When
history looks back at how we tackled the threat to our way of life of climate
change, technology can and should be cast as a hero.

Kevin Taylor

The author is MD, BT Asia Pacific

maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in