Copenhagen Countdown - A look at ways ICT can help

A look at the ways ICT can help reduce our carbon emissions. In the first part of this series we take a look at power management.

The report which examines the competitiveness of the nineteen G20 countries to adapt to the opportunities and costs of moving to a carbon constrained world, lists Australia behind countries such as Mexico, Russia and China.

The report reveals Australia’s productivity in low carbon emission environments will be much lower compared to other countries with similar levels of GDP, such as the United Kingdom, Germany and France, which is ranked first.

According to the report findings, high levels of wealth and expenditure on schooling will provide Australia with a prosperous future in a low carbon world.

However, carbon intensive exports and high levels of car ownership reduce Australia’s productivity in the medium term, and the carbon intensive electricity sector and high consumption of transport fuels limits Australia’s productivity in the early stage.

This report follows on from the Government’s 2008 Review of the Australian Government's Use of Information and Communication Technology more commonly known as the Gershon report.

The Gershon report which revealed there was a significant disconnection between the Government’s overall sustainability agenda and its ability to understand and manage energy costs and the carbon footprint of its ICT industry, said the government ICT marketplace is neither efficient nor effective.

One of the key recommendations of the report was for a more sustainable ICT environment to meet future technology and energy demands without putting a larger carbon strain on the environment.

The report recommended the development of a whole-of-government ICT sustainability plan, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA), to manage the energy costs and carbon footprint of the Government’s ICT activities.

Last month, (DEWHA) introduced a $26.9 million Low Emissions Technology and Abatement (LETA) initiative designed to curb GHG emissions over the long term. The scheme supports the identification and implementation of cost effective abatement opportunities, and the uptake of small scale low emission technologies in business, industry and local communities.

The scheme will also support a number of sub-programs including the LETA Renewables, which supports broad industry development projects and national projects as set out in the Commonwealth/State Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP) Partnership Agreements, and LETA Geosequestration Pilot Project, that looks at improved monitoring and verification technologies for geosequestration in Australia.

DEWHA has also turned its ‘green’ attention inward with the roll out of its environmental sustainability web portal LivingGreener.gov.au. Set to be up and running in 18 months, the portal will have new site functionality such as Web 2.0, collaboration and end-user stories, and content about relevant state and territory government assistance, content to assist schools and small businesses, and location specific information filtering.

According to tender documents, the new look website is not only intended to increase user accessibility and usability through better web software/technology, but is part of a set of Government measures aimed at helping Australians to make their homes and every-day activities more environmentally sustainable; the focus being on energy, water, waste and transport.

While these are just a few small examples and many businesses continue to pay only lip service to green ICT, it is highly likely regulation, cost and normative drivers will push sustainability up the business agenda. And it is this momentum outlined above that provides opportunities for the industry to contribute to what is arguably one of the biggest challenges facing humanity.

So, in the lead up to Copenhagen, Computerworld spoke with CSC CTO and National Director of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), Bob Hayward, Fujitsu's director of sustainability, Alison O'Flynn, about the top five technologies that could help organisations and individuals reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.

We kick off the series with a look at Power Management.

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Tags green ITcarbon footprintDEWHAcarbon emissionsclimate changeCopenhagenIPCCUNFCCCsustainability IT

More about Australian Computer SocietyAustralian Computer SocietyAustralian Information Industry AssocAustralian Information Industry AssociationCSC AustraliaFujitsuIDC AustraliaIIAIMFO2PGPSCOUnited NationsWorld Bank

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