29 October 2009: As participants prepare for the Barcelona Climate Change Talks, which will convene from 2-6 November 2009, in Barcelona, Spain, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has highlighted the critical importance of including information and communication technologies (ICTs) as part of the climate solution.
The Barcelona meeting is expected to produce draft text to be considered by COP 15 in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December, and the ITU is calling for specific mention of the role of ICTs in the draft, in order to help commit policy makers around the world to seek technical solutions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In its call, the ITU has highlighted the contribution of the ITU and the ICT industry to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as their potential to further contribute to this goal.
At the Barcelona Climate Change Talks, the ITU will participate in the iSeeT@theClimateChangeKiosk alongside the UN, UN agencies including the UNFCCC, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and other partners to showcase current ICT-related climate projects around the world.