4 December 2009: The Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Hamadoun Touré, has called on delegates who will attend the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 15) to take advantage of the potential of advanced technologies to dramatically reduce emissions across a wide range of industrial sectors.
Touré highlighted research showing that more effective use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) can deliver tremendous greenhouse gas emission reductions, stressing that “ICT is the single most powerful tool humankind has at its disposal to avoid potential climate catastrophe.” According to the ITU, specific mention of ICTs in key areas of the Copenhagen negotiating text, together with the adoption of a methodology to measure the carbon footprint of ICT equipment and its inclusion in national adaptation/mitigation plans, would incentivize the ICT industry to invest in developing countries and help reduce the digital divide while addressing climate change, presenting a “win-win” scenario.

At COP 15, Touré will join other UN agency Heads and industry leaders at the UNFCCC iSeeT@theClimateChangeKiosk to raise awareness of how technology can make a difference. [ITU Press Release]