Crossing "The Broadband Bridge"

The United Nations Broadband  Commission released a report on Monday titled  "The Broadband Bridge: Linking ICT with Climate Action" .  It has a very straightforward message:  Information and Communications Technology - powered by ubiquitous broadband - can have a very postitive impact upon the reduciton of greenhouse gasses (GHG).  The report lays out this "path to transformation":

"Broadband has huge potential to help shift the world towards a low-carbon economy and address the challenge of climate change. Broadband can deliver vastly enhanced energy efficiency, mitigation, adaptation, real-time monitoring and emergency response, as well as broader benefits such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and job creation, social inclusion and improved governance and wider access to education and health."

The premise is that broadband helps economies to grow.  For example, a "10 percent rise in broadband penetration adds a or 1.38  percent rise in economic growth ...for low- and middle- income countries ... while leapfrogging to and moving towards a low-carbon economy."

The report goes on to look at dematerialization, virtualization, Smart Cities, Grids and Work options.  They urge every governmnet to create a broadband strategy and are preparing to make the argument at the upcoming United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. They acknowledge that getting all stakeholders to agree will be a significant effort but they also provide some specific and convincing case studies along with ten recommended action steps:

1 Lead with vision: 

2 Bring convergence 

3 Ensure regulatory certainty

4 Be an example

5 Foster flexibility

7 Build the market

8 Form partnerships

9 Measure & standardize

10 Share knowledge & raise awareness

Common sense stuff but certainly room remains for skepticism.  You may want to round out your own thoughts with a few other points of view - the skeptic, the somewhat neutral but leaning positive, and the enthusiastic but overly cloudy.

My own view is that reports like this positively contribute to the global discussions with solid research, references and respected leaders actively paricipating.  

Although it must be a very interesting meeting and seating arrangement when you have the likes of Carlos Slim, the richest man in the world as co-chair with Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and members like Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO along with John Chambers, Sir Richard Branson and a long list of others with considerable positions and strong opinions.  

That would be a fun meeting to attend.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Dick]

Yes it is always best when economic self interest helps the cause of improving prospects for the environment. And it very often does.

[Sandro]

As perspectivas são as melhores possíveis. Só de ajudar a economia a crescer e criar alternativas de crescimento sustentável, não só em termos tecnológicos mas ambientais.