Intellect's involvement with COP15

COP15 is imminent and whilst the programme will be dominated by negotiations on updating and strengthening the emissions reduction targets agreed at Kyoto, which run out in 2012, the IT sector will not go unnoticed.

Firstly, the ITU (International Telecommunications Union – www.itu.int ) has made significant progress in raising the profile of ICT at a very opportune time and has succeeded in ensuring that the IT industry will now be mentioned in the draft climate treaty that will form the basis for negotiations.  The ITU hopes that the inclusion of IT in the treaty will lead to energy-efficient IT projects being included in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), or any successor to it.  This will accelerate the deployment of low carbon technologies, particularly in developing countries, drive competition and R&D around energy efficiency and provide significant business opportunities for our sector. 

Secondly, many “fringe” activities will also be taking place, involving both the delegates and the 2,500 press who will be there.   Two to highlight for our sector are a debate organised by IT-Branchen, our sister IT association in Denmark on Friday 11th December at the Danish Stock Exchange. This will be a panel debate on the role of the IT industry in the battle against climate change. It brings together for the first time seven of the largest global IT companies at senior corporate management level to debate and exchange views on climate change.  Also speaking are the Danish Minister of Economic and Business Affairs Lene Espersen and the EU Commissioner for Information Technology and Media Viviane Redding.  The debate will be moderated by the director of the European Environment Agency Professor Jaqueline McGlade.  Over 250 leading journalists and broadcasters are expected, including TV networks.  The second event of note is Bright Green on 12th and 13th December, a high level conference and exhibition, where our sister association DIGITALEUROPE has a stand.  Intellect has provided advocacy materials for both events and is helping to advise the facilitators on presenting the arguments for the sector. 

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