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ITU Focus Group to recommend CO2 reporting standard for ICT

Tony Chan | March 30, 2009 | 0 Comments

An ITU Focus Group is proposing a standardized methodology for reporting the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of information and communications technologies.

At a meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, the ITU-T Focus Group on ICTs and Climate Change has developed a method for calculating two elements: Energy use and carbon impact arising from ICT lifecycles; and decrease in GHG emissions that can be achieved with ICTs, such as replacing fossil fuel intensive activities through ICT services and devices – a process the Group calls, ‘dematerialisation.’

The meeting agreed on a set of four ‘deliverables’ that also give guidance on terms and definitions, including units of measurement to be used. According to the Group, the deliverables draw on best practices from organizations worldwide and will be published as the proceedings of the Focus Group. In the next phase, the Group plans to issue the outcomes of the meeting as official ITU-T Recommendations, or standards.

“This work has an important bearing on current and future global agreements under which countries undertake commitments to reduce their overall GHG emissions,” said Malcolm Johnson, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau. “Common approaches to calculating the impact of ICTs are vital to ensure coherent and effective solutions.”

One of the key areas highlighted by the group is ICT’s ability to reduce GHG emissions of other industries. According to one contribution to the Focus Group meeting, direct email has the effect of a 98.5% CO2 emissions reduction compared with paper. The group also noted a trend towards ‘always-on’ devices that are a drain on power supplies. Recommended steps toward more efficient energy use of ICT devices are part of the output of the group.

“Even conservative estimates show a significant contribution to addressing climate change can be made through the application of ICTs,” said Johnson. “But, we cannot be content to sit and tell one another that ICTs can mitigate climate change. We must demonstrate our case with hard facts and figures. This methodology will give added credibility and coherence to the estimates of the positive impact of ICT. A common methodology will help establish the business case to go green and can ultimately be beneficial to informed consumer choices and climate-friendly business procurement.”

“Without a standardized methodology for measuring the carbon footprint of ICTs it is impossible to fully comprehend data provided by well-meaning companies. This initiative helps to provide a framework that companies can follow to give reliable data that can be compared on an international scale. It shows the importance that the ICT industry attaches to this topic, and represents a necessary step forward in standardizing the way that the industry approaches environmental sustainability,” said Jason Marcheck, a Principal Analyst with Current Analysis.

Makoto Totsuka, Director-General for ICT Strategic Policy Planning, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan, added: “Prior to the Focus Group, we have not had an international forum for discussing common measures to calculate the positive and negative aspect of ICTs. We were honoured to host the final meeting of the Focus Group and would like to thank all delegates for their efforts. We will continue to contribute to ITU activity on ICT and Climate Change and environmental issues.”