Helping cities to reduce CO2 with existing low carbon ICT solutions

1. Communication
Solutions for Low
Carbon Cities
Helping cities to reduce CO2 with
existing low carbon ICT solutions

2. Low Carbon ICT (Information and
Communications Technology) Solutions
is an umbrella term for the information technol-
ogy field that can contribute to reductions of CO2
emissions. It includes any communication device
or application, encompassing: mobile phones,
computer and network hardware and software,
satellite systems and so on, as well as the various
services and applications associated with them,
such as videoconferencing and m-health. ICT is
often simply referred to as “IT” and solutions that
focus on the communication aspect can be called
“low carbon communication solutions”.
becominG
cLimate positive
The need for climate action in the midst integrated part of all major projects and
of an economic crisis can be percieved initiatives from governments and busi-
as a problem, but also as an opportunity. ness. To achieve this WWF Sweden and
Until now, most of the global policy focus Ericsson will:
has been on high-emission sectors and
on incremental improvements that entail Establish a methodological
additional costs. But in order to make approach to make low carbon
real progress, it is imperative to direct communication solutions visible
a good deal of attention to sectors that If something cannot be measured, it can
provide solutions. Especially important neither be managed nor supported. In order
are companies that provide low carbon to make the climate potential of low carbon
solutions that create transformative re- ICT solutions visible, thus enabling their
ductions with low carbon feedback (solu- support, a methodology for calculating CO2
tions that encourage further and deeper savings from related solutions will be devel-
reductions). This would lead us towards a oped. A priority is to ensure that the role of
low carbon economy without adding un- a well functioning broadband infrastructure
necessary costs. is well understood.
Once companies have moved away from
the traditional approach where climate Integrate low carbon ICT solutions
change is seen as a problem and a risk, they in climate strategies for cities
will be better positioned to recognize new Low carbon Engage in dialogue with central policy mak-
Leadership
business opportunities. Instead of a risk ers in key markets to ensure that the posi-
approach, where the best thing a company tive potential of low carbon ICT solutions
can do is to reduce their own emissions to With COP 15 taking place in Copenhagen becomes an integrated part of all major
zero, companies with products and serv- this December, 2009 will be a defining year climate strategies. Publish supporting facts
ices that can help reduce CO2 emissions in for climate solutions and the world will be and figures to guide companies and policy
society, can lead the way by actively con- looking for strong low carbon leadership. makers on how to make smart decisions.
tributing towards a low carbon economy. This is a unique opportunity to establish
Instead of carbon neutrality as a target, the ICT sector and ICT solutions, includ- Support low carbon partnerships
these companies, such as those providing ing low carbon communication solutions, Together with users of ICT solutions identify,
low carbon communication solutions, can as an important part of both climate and quantify and validate selected telecom re-
have targets that also make them net con- industrial policies. Low carbon ICT solu- lated solutions which support a carbon lean
tributors to emission reductions. This would tions can play a leading role in improving economy. The aim is to support the imple-
enable them to go beyond “neutral” to be- basic services while reducing CO2 emis- mentation of solutions that can make signifi-
come “Climate Positive”, i.e they deliver a sions – both by replacing physical prod- cant reductions in CO2 emissions and ensure
greater reduction in CO2 emissions through ucts with services, and by helping people that low carbon solutions are available on the
the use of their products and services than to use resources more efficiently. For this market.
they emit over the whole value chain. to happen, these solutions should be an

3. a Low carbon 21st century
infrastructure
Over the next 30 years more than 200 tril- incomes and resource intensive lifestyles the Ensuring support for a
lion USD will be invested globally in urban carbon footprint of urban dwellers is often 21st century infrastructure
areas to provide us with basic services, very high, which adds urgency to the impor- Current approaches to tackle climate change
such as transportation, heating, cooling tance of reducing the footprint of cities. Low tend to focus on single products and how
and lighting. From this perspective, low carbon ICT can lead to smarter ways of work- they can be improved. But this fails to address
carbon communication solutions can make ing and ensure that basic needs are met. This the invisible problems and negative impacts,
a significant contribution to a low carbon will require collaboration, new partnerships which often occur due to today’s “20th century
economy by: and constellations, and open for new players infrastructure” such as roads, airports, trans-
and opportunities for leadership. mission lines and old buildings. This means
Delivering sustainable climate that investments to reduce CO2 emissions of-
Moving towards system ten only result in marginal improvements, or
solutions and reducing poverty
With billions of people fighting poverty and a
innovation and opportunities even increased emissions, due to an overall
world population that will reach nine billion in to become climate positive unsustainable development. For example,
To reach a low carbon economy, we must introducing more energy efficient cars could
a few decades, it is crucial that measures to
move away from dealing with problems af- lead to more people getting cars and driving
help reduce greenhouse gas emissions are
ter they have occurred. This kind of reactive more often, and greater distances, compared
extremely resource efficient. Because low
‘end-of-pipe’ approach is no longer viable. In to before. In contrast, low carbon communi-
carbon communication solutions can provide
contrast, low carbon communication solutions cation solutions which instead can be seen as
transformative reductions without unneces-
are proactive and can offer transformative “21st century infrastructure” can contribute to
sary costs, they can play a key role in bringing
results. Not only can they help deliver smart direct emissions reductions and also pave the
people in developing countries out of poverty
energy, smart transportation and smart health way for further reductions (thereby stimulating
by enabling access to basic services and
and education, they can also help us shift to a ‘low-carbon feedback’) by supporting a long-
supporting economic development. They can
circular economy, where natural resources are term sustainable infrastructure. For example,
also ensure that people in developed coun-
efficiently reused. In such an economy where with the appropriate infrastructure in place to
tries not only reduce their emissions but their
solutions are based on a cradle-to-cradle ap- support flexi-work and virtual meetings, these
total ecological footprints as well.
proach, for example supporting smart city solutions will become attractive to more peo-
planning, dematerialization and sustainable ple as they will experience better results. This
Reducing the carbon consumption patterns, this uptake can also will accelerate the uptake, resulting in a situ-
footprint of cities enable companies to have a net positive im- ation with accelerated CO2 reductions. This
For the first time in history more people are pact on global CO2 emissions – to become type of transformative infrastructure is what
living in cities than in rural areas. With high climate positive. the world needs to meet tomorrow’s needs.

4. from “Green ict” to
Design: Projector
Greening with ICT – using ICT
to reduce the 98% of global CO2
“GreeninG with ict” emissions in other sectors
The ICT sector can contribute to emissions
reductions in many areas of society through
their services. This contribution includes
Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled “GNU Free Documen-
right © 2005 User Minesweeper on en.wikipedia. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms
Image sources: Vectus, Global Environment Monitoring Unit - Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, Ispra Italy., Copy-
of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant
solutions such as virtual meetings, smart
buildings, m-health, smart grids and de-
materialization services. Combined, these
tation License”, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:GNU_Free_Documentation_License, Plastic logic, 2009.
solutions can help to reduce a significant
part of the remaining 98% of global CO2
emissions that come from other sectors/ar-
eas. Thus, activities that are directly linked
to emitting CO2 can contribute to an overall
Green ICT - reducing up to
“greening with ICT” and have a net positive
2% of global CO2 emissions CO2 impact. An accelerated uptake of these
The term “Green IT” or “Green ICT” is widely
kind of services is needed and can be sup-
used to refer to measures related to making
ported by a shift from a ”product to service”
ICT equipment and ICT, including everything
perspective.
from computers and mobile phones to net-
work infrastructure equipment and servers,
use energy more efficiently in order to re-
duce direct emissions from the sector. Up to
2% of global CO2 emissions come from ICT
today. It is important, especially as the use
of ICT will increase over the coming years,
that the efficiency continues to increase and
that the ICT sector sets targets for 100%
renewable energy.
For more information about this WWF Sweden - Ericsson project please contact:
Suzanne Pahlman, Project Manager pahlman@connecore.com
Andreas Follér, Project Support andreas@climateinnovators.net
WWF
Dennis Pamlin, Global Policy Advisor, WWF Sweden dennis@pamlin.net
John Kornerup Bang, Head of Globalisation Programme, WWF Denmark j.bang@wwf.dk
Chen Dongmei, Head of Climate and Energy Programme, WWF China dmchen@wwfchina.org
Staffan Söderberg, Director Corporate Partnerships, WWF Sweden staffan.soderberg@wwf.se
Ericsson corporate.responsibility@ericsson.com
© 1986 Panda symboal WWF
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