Report Says Smart Technology Could Reduce Global Emissions by 15 Percent

SMART 2020: Enabling the low carbon economy in the information age, a new report published by the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSi) and The Climate Group indicates that the technology industry’s unique ability to provide tools to monitor and maximize energy efficiency both inside and outside of its own sector could cut carbon emissions by up to five times the amount generated by its own carbon footprint.

SMART 2020, the world’s first comprehensive global study of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), shows that information management is key to enabling organizations to reduce emissions. Global management consultants McKinsey & Company independently conducted the report’s supporting analysis

Transforming the way people and businesses use technology could reduce annual man-made global emissions by 15 percent by 2020 and deliver energy efficiency savings to global businesses of more than 500 billion euros (nearly $800 million USD), according to the report. This represents a reduction of 7.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent released into the environment by 2020 – an amount greater than the current annual emissions of either the U.S. or China.

Although tele-working, video-conferencing, e-paper and e-commerce are increasingly commonplace, the report notes that replacing physical products and services with the virtual equivalents is only a small part (approximately 6 percent) of the estimated low-carbon benefits the ICT sector can deliver. Far greater opportunities for emissions savings can be generated when organizations and industries implement a technology infrastructure to address carbon reporting and management.

The report cites four major opportunities where the use of information technology can make further transformational cuts in global emissions. These exist globally within smart building design and use, smart logistics, smart electricity grids and smart industrial motor systems.

I may have said this too many times lately, but it’s still true: we can’t reduce GHG emissions until everyone uses the right platform to measure and monitor them.

1 comment July 1st, 2008