Low-Carbon ICT Leadership Benchmark 1 23 May 2011

Low-Carbon ICT Leadership Benchmark

An assessment and way forward for the integration of low-carbon ICT in communication to the UNFCCC

90.0 80.0 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0

85.0

65.0

65.0 59.0 55.0 55.0 53.0 53.0 53.0 44.0

Low-Carbon ICT in UNFCCC Communication

Summary The purpose of GeSIs Low-Carbon ICT Leadership Benchmark is to support governments and other stakeholders wishing to integrate low-carbon ICT solutions into their climate change agenda. Many good examples exist around the world both with regard to supportive policies and their implementation, ranging from concrete targets for the roll-out of ICT solutions such as teleworking (e.g. Japan) to references to dedicated low-carbon ICT strategies where the exports of low-carbon ICT solutions are promoted (e.g. Denmark). The first round of the Low-Carbon ICT Benchmark assesses leadership in the national communications to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), which set out how governments are implementing their commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Initial findings show that Japan ranks first place, and stands out as a clear leader, although Denmark, Germany and other European governments including the European Union as a whole are not far behind. The study also covers the BASIC bloc (Brazil, South Africa, India and China). These countries have focused on an ICT solution agenda and, not surprisingly, have all scored well with India making the top ten. In anticipation of a successful COP17 outcome, it is encouraging that emerging economies focus on low-carbon ICT opportunities and, in some cases, to a greater extent than many developed countries. Luis Neves, Chairman of GeSI, commented on the initial findings of the study: The ICT industry must continue to work with governments to ensure that adequate policy frameworks are in place to enable the transition to a low-carbon economy. By highlighting low-carbon ICT leadership amongst governments, GeSI seeks to encourage a race to the top in the run up to COP17 so that ICT is included in strategies as a key enabler in tackling climate change and creating sustainable business models and growth opportunities. The preliminary findings from GeSI indicate the need for integration between ministries to ensure that low-carbon ICT solutions are given appropriate attention in climate negotiations. Over the coming months GeSI will continue to work with stakeholders including ITU, OECD, UN Global Compact and the Broadband Commission to assess different aspects of low-carbon ICT leadership in the run up to COP17 at Durban. In collaboration with the South African government, and other interested stakeholders, GeSI is now preparing an assessment framework for COP17. The final results will be launched this autumn on a dedicated web portal. GeSI hopes this will encourage governments to integrate low-carbon ICT solutions into COP17 and support a 21st century climate change agenda beyond Durban such as at Rio+20. There is growing recognition that the time has come to focus more on solution providers, not just the big emitters, in the global fight against climate change. As the
Benchmark for integration of low-carbon ICT In UNFCCC communication 1. Japan 85.0 2. Denmark 65.0 3. Germany 65.0 4. Ireland 59.0 5. European Union 55.0 6. Netherlands 55.0 7. Australia 53.0 8. Finland 53.0 9. Romania 53.0 10. India 44.0

world currently discusses 80% carbon reductions, or even more, it is clear that transformative low-carbon ICT solutions that provide services in new ways whilst creating sustainable growth and jobs are needed, not just incremental improvements to existing systems. The ICT sector can help provide both clusters with solution providers and transformative solutions that can help countries deliver 80% or more reductions. Still many countries only include measures resulting in incremental improvements in existing systems and improvements on the supply side in their national communications to the UNFCCC. GeSIs research follows on from the launch of its Guadalajara ICT declaration for transformative low-carbon solutions1 at COP16. The Low Carbon ICT Leadership Benchmark is based on 15 criteria ranging from the inclusion of ICT solutions in national communications to the UNFCCC to the integration of such solutions in key areas such as smart buildings, smart grid, smart transport, energy efficiency and innovation. For a full list of criteria and the full scores for the top ten governments, please contact GeSI. About the National communications to the UNFCCC National communications to the UNFCCC contain information on national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, climate-related policies and measures, GHG projections, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change, financial assistance and technology transfer to non-Annex I Parties, and actions on raising public awareness on climate change. The national communications are submitted by Annex I Parties every 45 years following decisions for each submission by the Conference of the Parties (COP). They are prepared and reported periodically by Annex I Parties based on agreed reporting guidelines (decision 4/CP.5). They are reviewed, within 12 years from the submission date, by international expert review teams (ERTs) following specific mandates included in COP decisions, including the general procedures for review that are enshrined in decision 2/CP.1. The fifth national communications were due on 1 January 2010. Decision 9/CP.16 calls for submission of the sixth national communications on 1 January 2014. These national communications provide an overview of how those reporting in countries priorities ICT solutions, they do not necessarily reflect the nature of actual low-carbon policies as these can exist in other ministries. The low-carbon leadership measured in though national communication is an indicator of how different countries priorities low-carbon ICT in the negotiations.

Description of index The low-carbon ICT assessments of the national communications are based on the submissions by countries to the UNFCCC. All countries with communication in English have been assessed. The focus was the fifth national communication (due 1 January 2010) from the annex 1 countries and for non-annex 1 counties the latest submitted communication was used. Four areas are covered in the assessment: 1. Acknowledgement/understanding of ICT/IT First the communications are searched for the words ICT and IT to see if countries acknowledge ICT/IT at all. 2. Examples and targets Here examples of ICT/IT solutions are identified, their savings as well as different kind of targets. Not all countries use ICT/IT to describe relevant solutions to any examples of smart solutions in key areas are also acknowledged. 3. Areas Here key areas are identified in the text. Smart buildings, smart grids, smart transport, smart lifestyles and smart health/education are identified. Again the focus here is on smart and transformative solutions and the countries do not have to mention ICT/IT specifically only give example of solutions where ICT/IT play an important role. 4. Focus Finally the way innovation, efficiency, transformative and dematerialization are analyzed. For innovation and efficiency a word count is used and for Transformative and dematerialization a qualitative assessment of the examples is used. Factors/Weighting/Measure In the matrix the different factors that are include are listed together with the weighting, threshold and how they are measured.
Factors If ICT or IT is included in the text ICT/IT as s source for emissions Examples of ICT/IT solutions that help reduce emissions Amount of current savings from ICT/IT solutions stated Individual targets for ICT/IT solutions CO2 savings Aggregated target for ICT/IT Smart buildings Smart grids Smart transport Sustainable lifestyles Smart health/education Innovation Efficiency Transformative Dematerialization TOTAL Weighting 10 2 20 10 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 8 5 5 5 100% Thresholds 8 50 Measure Yes/no Yes/no Yes/no Yes/no Yes/no Yes/no Yes/no Yes/no Yes/no Yes/no Yes/no Number Number Qualitative Qualitative

 Sources For Annex 1 countries: http://unfccc.int/national_reports/annex_i_natcom/submitted_natcom/items/4903.php For non-Annex 1 countries http://unfccc.int/national_reports/non-annex_i_natcom/items/2979.php