Low-Carbon ICT Leadership Benchmark: which countries lead, which ones follow?

Six months before the start of the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP17), to be held in Durban, South Africa, the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) presents the first findings of its research into low-carbon Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) leadership amongst governments.

The purpose of GeSI’s 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.

Source: GeSI