Climate entrepreneurs key to low carbon future

Two "old" reports in a new context....

1. Swedish report "12 Climate Entrepreneurs"

2. India report "Indian companies with solutions that the world needs"

This press release was sent out today:

30 Mar 2009
Bonn, Germany: WWF urges delegates at the ongoing UN climate talks in Bonn to find ways to support a new class of climate entrepreneurs as the main drivers for a future low carbon economy.

New research by the global conservation organization shows that innovative technologies available today can result in emission cuts of hundreds of millions of tons through rapid growth.

The two new WWF reports – including 17 case studies from developed economies such as Sweden and emerging markets such as India - show what works and what doesn’t in bringing the power of innovation to bear on the need to rapidly face the challenge of climate change.

“There is immense potential for both climate and business success in technology innovations coming forward – what we need to do is to remove obstacles to successful commercialization and wide diffusion that innovative entrepreneurs and companies are faced with,” said Stefan Henningsson, Director of the Climate Change Programme at WWF Sweden.

New ways of bringing natural light into large buildings developed 8 years ago by a Swedish construction consultant in collaboration with an innovator could save an estimated 220 million tons of CO2 equivalent in emissions per year, as well as delivering huge savings in electricity bills.

In another example, systems for large-scale production and distribution of district cooling, developed by one Swedish innovator, are more efficient than traditional cooling technology. A 25% expansion in the share of district cooling on the European cooling market alone would cut CO2 emissions by up to 50 million tons each year.

In India, a company setting out to provide LED-based solar powered lighting to the rural poor is tackling sustainable and climate friendly development on two fronts. This and other examples show how sustainable business and social entrepreneurship can shape future economic growth.

“The Indian companies featured in the WWF report reflect the incredible potential that lie in the alignment of sustainable development needs and business value in developing countries – and the global solutions they can provide,” said Henningsson.

The Swedish case studies also identified the major obstacle to the development and deployment of promising new technologies at scale: continued high levels of direct and indirect support for incremental improvement of existing outmoded production methods in larger companies.

“In planning policy and public investment there is a tendency to consult mainly with the big players in business and industry who generally favour traditional solutions,” said Henningsson. “But often traditional solutions and improving old methods simply are not good enough to ensure the market transformations and emission reductions we need.

“Even systems which don’t discriminate against new ideas are insufficient. Let’s embrace systems that actively seek them out.”

While a co-ordinated focus at high government levels on facing the climate change challenge would be a welcome first step to improve the environment for innovations, WWF is also proposing the creation of “one stop shops” for climate entrepreneurs, where outstanding ideas could be linked to public and private resources for research, financing, commercialization and export.

At the international level, WWF is calling for Technology Action Programmes to be established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to speed up the development and demonstration of new technologies and the better diffusion of existing sustainable technologies.

“Majority of the ideas are already out there and some of these come from developing countries and others from industrialised countries. “What we lack are sufficiently efficient ways of moving from ideas to working solutions past the gaps and rigidities in our systems.”

The low carbon work with Novozymes is now launched

Really look forward to this. Download the folder here and below is the press release:

Search on for best climate biosolutions

WWF points out that the over-exploitation of fossil fuels - such as coal, gas and oil - is putting the whole of humanity under threat from climate change.

25 Mar 2009
Global environment organization WWF and leading enzyme biotechnology company Novozymes today announced an initiative which will map how and where low carbon biosolutions can eliminate the first strategic billion tonnes of CO2.

“Low carbon biotech solutions are a good example of hidden or invisible climate solutions that are all around us already today but are easily overlooked by policymakers, investors and companies,” said Kim Carstensen, Director of WWF’s Global Climate Initiative.

The biotechnology industry is an important part of the climate solutions the world is in need of because the emissions reductions secured by biotech solutions are factors of magnitude greater than the emissions involved in creating them. Enzymes, for instance, save large amounts of energy when applied to the production of a variety of every day products, such as paper, washing powder and bioethanol.

Last year, Novozymes emitted about one million tonnes of CO2 eq in the production of raw materials and enzymes but helped eliminate around 28 million tonnes of CO2 eq emissions over enzyme free production.

“What we offer our customers is to produce more from less input, use less energy in their processes and generate less waste,” said Steen Riisgaard, CEO of Novozymes.

“Clearly, biotechnology is therefore an important route to securing big emissions cuts while creating succesful business models.”

With only a small portion of the potential of biotech so far realized, the joint Biosolutions Initiative – Eliminating the first billion tonnes of CO2 will seek out key and priority areas where biotechnology solutions can be applied to achieve emissions cuts.

Low carbon winners of future need support now

The partnership will also engage in dialogue with central policy makers and create low carbon business partnerships to ensure that low carbon bio tech solutions become an integrated part of all major climate projects and initiatives.

“So far, the main effort to combat climate change has focused on reducing the negative impact of the big emmitters,” said Carstensen. “While important, this neither secures all the reductions needed nor does it provide a sustainable economic model for creating jobs, growth and a prosperous society.”

The project aims to contribute to accelerating and exploring the further potential of biotechnology as a crucial part of overall climate solutions.

“Fighting climate change is also about innovation and finding smarter ways to do things, and biotechnology helps us do just that,” said Carstensen.

The project will also identify how to best deploy emerging bio-solutions .

In order to unlock the full potential of biotechnology, policy makers need to integrate low carbon biotech solutions as part of all major climate strategies," said Riisgaard.

"Together with WWF we want to inspire decision makers in building low carbon solutions for our society."

PRESS RELEASE : WWF STUDIES FIND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES CLIMATE IMPACTS, COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS

Here is a press release for two reports at the same time. Will post both here later with some info...


PRESS RELEASE

WWF STUDIES FIND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES CLIMATE IMPACTS, COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS

Global climate policy can drive broad implementation of existing technologies
to achieve meaningful greenhouse gas reductions

WASHINGTON, DC, March 25, 2009 – World Wildlife Fund today released two new studies that underscore how existing information technology (IT) solutions can meet the demands of today’s corporations while also reducing the harmful CO2 emissions that contribute to climate change. As world leaders work this year to gain agreement on global strategies to combat the worsening climate crisis, policymakers and corporations are increasingly looking for solutions that reduce harmful emissions while creating jobs, saving money and driving innovation.

“IT can be a significant driver of greenhouse gas reductions, but we need strong global climate policy to ensure these solutions are implemented at the speed and scale necessary to make a difference,” said Dennis Pamlin, a WWF Policy Advisor and co-author of the reports. “This research tells us that if relatively simple measures are implemented globally, we can achieve annual emissions reductions equal to at least half of current U.S. total annual emissions by 2050. But we must start to walk in the right direction now, before it’s too late.”

According to the reports, which were independently authored by WWF together with leading academic experts and with funding support from HP and Microsoft, collaboration is fundamental. Business and policy makers can deliver a low carbon future, but they must work together to achieve meaningful results.

For example, the first report, “Virtual Meetings and Climate Innovation in the 21st Century”, highlights the significant impact employee travel makes on a company’s total carbon footprint – accounting for 50% or more among non-manufacturing companies. Virtual meetings are an existing alternative that can increase the efficiency of business while reducing costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Creating a global network of more than 4,000 high quality videoconferencing studios in cities around the world would help build a new infrastructure for the 21st century and would cost less than one and a half airplanes,” Pamlin noted.

The second report, “From Workplace to Anyplace”, highlights opportunities to employ existing technologies that enable one or more individuals to work or collaborate remotely. This would create new efficiencies and cut emissions created by daily commuting or business air travel.

In the report’s “smart world” scenario, where policies and IT industry users contribute to a climate smart future, roughly one billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions are avoided through tele-work in year 2030–an amount equivalent to the total current annual carbon dioxide emissions from the United Kingdom and Italy combined. By the year 2050, tele-work could reduce almost 3.5 billion tons of emissions–equivalent to more than half of the United States’ current CO2 emissions.

The report also says that developed countries may deliver the majority of greenhouse gas emissions with increased tele-working in the short term, but developing countries can deliver the bulk of the reductions in the long term.

As part of this research, a carbon calculator for policymakers and businesses was developed and is available online at www.worldwildlife.org/carbonprojector.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

The report, Virtual Meetings and Climate Innovation in the 21st Century, is available online at: www.worldwildlife.org/climate/videoconferencing

The report, From Workplace to Anyplace, is available online at:
www.worldwildlife.org/climate/teleworking

The reports have been peer-reviewed by scientists, economists and expert bodies, including WWF. The research was funded by both HP and Microsoft.

Vivian Reading and the low carbon ICT team at DG Infosoc: A 21st century climate hero

I don’t think that many expected Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, to become one of the leading global voices for innovative climate solutions two years ago. A little more than a year ago during the European Business Summit was the first time that I heard her publicly made it very clear that she saw ICT as an important part of the climate solution. Now during the ICT4EE: High Level Event on ICT for Energy Efficiency she delivered a speech that was really encouraging in terms of scope and focus.

It was a fascinating feeling to see the big ICT4EE banner at Charlemagne. A year ago the focus in the commission was still ICT as a ”problem” (The emissions from ICT) and the work related to the solutions that smart ICT solutions can provide was very marginal. In less than two years this has changed and Redding moved to the forefront, not only in EU but globally when it comes to an innovation based solutions agenda.

The language on the page for ICT4EE is happy reading of anyone that believe in a innovation and solution agenda.

”The Commission has recognized that ICTs and ICT-based innovations may provide one of the potentially most cost-effective means to achieve the 2020 targets. We aim at creating a policy framework that will allow the energy-saving potential of ICTs to be widely recognized and exploited.”

Let’s hope that Vivian and her team will deliver recommendations that will ensure that the words and visions that turn into concrete action.

Below are my bullet point recommendations for the commissions that I presented in my keynote during the ICT4EE event:

1. Clear responsibility
- Important to be able to track and measure what is happening and without clear responsibility (that include targets) ICT for energy efficiency will only be an idea.

2. Separate the 2% from the 98% even more
- Ensure focus and right tools. It is hard to support innovation and large parts of the ICT industry still not get it (during the initial keynote presentation it was sad to hear a business representative talk about smaller boxes for mobile phones and energy efficient base stations. Not only did it sound like a sale pitch it also showed that he did not understand what the focus now is. Business needs to ensure that they bring the representatives that understand the issue, and they exist in all companies so it should not be a problem. I can also recommend the joint WWF-Gartner assessment as guide to ensure that leading companies are given space)

3. Frame the recommendation within the concepts of “low- and high carbon feedback” or “20th century and 21st century infrastructure”
- Look beyond the direct reductions and ensure the right direction. ICT can help accelerate reduction by triggering further investments in smart solutions that help reduce emissions further. Too much money is invested in infrastructure that is not really delivering anything else but a lock-in into a 20th century resource intensive society that block innovation.

4. Track support and subsidies
- No need for subsidies, but urgent need for technology neutral solutions. Few low carbon ICT solutions need any subsidies, but they need rules that are technology neutral and sometime get transition support as we move from a 20th century infrastructure (with built in subsidies /support for old energy intensive solutions) to a 21st century smart infrastructure (with built in subsidies/support for energy efficient solutions). Support for smart grid solutions that encourage increased decentralised energy production and buildings that are net producers of energy is one example of an important measure. To encourage transparency it would be good with a tool that can track support and subsidies in 20th or 21st century infrastructure.

5. Include targets and special support for solutions that reduce CO2 emissions with 90% or more/ are 100 times better or more
- The more I think about it the more important I think that this policy is. I see so many initiatives (and organisations) that ignore innovation and solutions that really can make a difference as they focus on incremental improvements in existing systems. Very seldom are the really sustainable solutions discussed and there are many reasons for that (difficult to calculate the CO2 savings when significant shifts happens, limits in current economic models, political structures mirrors existing old business structures not tomorrows businesses, etc). In order to allow these solutions space to develop and understand the needs better targets and support is needed.

6. Shift from product to service
- All major policies and public procurement (EU first to require meeting agencies?) The commission and the member states must change their thinking from products to services both in policy development (include ICT solutions in infrastructure planning) and in key instruments (use public procurement to put pressure).

7. A Global perspective
- Solutions should be developed that can be used around the world, especially emerging markets like China and India. The solutions should also be developed together with other governments and companies outside EU. Targets for export and import are needed as well as targets for employment (not just in one country or region, but globally), but even more important is target for productivity.

It is obviously time to take the next step in the WWF-ETNO project "Saving the climate @ the speed of light"... Now we need implementation @ the speed of light, and we need more companies and stakeholders onboard....

The commission launch a Low carbon IT communication

The communication from the commission “on mobilising Information and Communication Technologies to facilitate the transition to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy” is one of the most sophisticated low carbon documents that I have seen from the commission, ever. It is really a significant step towards a serious strategy that can deliver more than incremental improvements. Obviously it has a number of shortcomings, but after all the internal compromises that these documents must go through it feels like a reasonable coherent document with a lot of potential.

Obviously the thing that really matters is the recommendation due in the second half of 2009 that ”will set out tasks, targets and timelines, for industry stakeholders and Member States to accelerate progress towards these ends.”

It is worth noting that compared to many other ICT strategies, including almost all member states, this sets a new standard with sucha clear focus on the 98% and the role of ICT as an enabler. Congratulation to those involved.

Taking a step back and look at the development I can’t help but note that this is very far from the reactions I got when I published the book ”Saving the planet at the speed of light” almost 10 years ago. Even when Katalin Szomolanyi and I wrote the roadmap for EU in 2006 ”Saving the climate at the speed of light” in the joint WWF-ETNO project the reaction and support from the commission was quite vague. Now it finally looks as if things could take off.

There is a lot to like in this. Below the key parts [The full PDF can be downloaded here]

1. Three clear stands of work moving forward
FIRST “The ICT sectors own footprint”: not the most important, but must dealt with so good to include (and not spend a lot of time on).

SECOND “working partnerships between the ICT sector and other major energy-using
Sectors”: Here it would be good to develop a list with priority areas. It is especially important to ensure that a service perspective is guiding the actions and not a focus on existing sectors. While ICT can play a significant role in relation to transport and buildings, it is not just the car industry and the building industry where collaboration is needed. Flexiwork/telewok can help reduce Co2 emissions from both the transport and building industry, but these sectors will not drive this development. Especially the car industry is important to challenge, as they so far have been reluctant to move from a product to a service perspective.

THIRD “Member States should be called upon to enable the EU-wide roll-out of ICT tools
likely to trigger a shift in the behaviour of consumers, businesses and communities and at
the same time drive demand for innovative ICT solutions to optimise the energy
performance of their own operations.” This is probably the most interesting area and it is here we could see groundbreaking initiatives in m-government, m-health, m-education, m-business, etc. This would be especially interesting if we see new tools beyond current sectors that encourage a high quality resource efficient lifestyle and support new start-up companies that provide these kinds of innovative solutions.

A good division and it is important to keep them apart. The second and third will be a challenge, but I’m sure all of us working with this are willing to support if there is an opportunity.


2. Clear focus on buildings and transport (two areas where ICT can make a real difference)
There is a tendency in the communication to look at the incremental improvements (where a building can be more efficient and where logistics can be improved). These are important, but it is important to move beyond current sectors. If not we will only see a few smart meters and some logistic initiatives. These kinds of solutions can actually result in increased emissions over time as they don’t help us move beyond our current inefficient infrastructure.


3. A challenge to the ICT industry to develop methodologies that can measure the benefits.
It is just to agree with the commission:
”In the absence of a means by which consumers, whether individuals, businesses or public
administrations, can verify and compare potential energy-saving strategies offered by ICTs
and their cost effectiveness, the threat that so-called greenwashing will take market share
from solutions that offer legitimate benefits is very real.”

This is a real challenge to those companies that are really serious. But also for the initiatives/projects that are developing reporting standards. In both cases the support for a scientific methodology that can calculate the positive contributions from ICT have been less positive than it should… Hopefully this will change.


4. “Urban planning strategies incorporating end 2010 energy efficiency and carbon emissions”
This could become one of the most important part for EU, but only if a global and transformative perspective (that look beyond incremental improvements) can be included and where solutions are encouraged that can be exported/used in other parts of the world (especially the emerging markets).


5. Software innovations
I’m very happy to see that the commission includes a discussion about software companies writing that “There are roughly half a million software businesses in the EU. Typically employing 3 to 7 persons, these businesses have one of the highest levels of productivity and profitability of all sectors of the economy”. I have suggested an annual competition where ”code of the year” was given a prize. I think there is a huge untapped potential in software companies and look forward to more concrete initiatives in this area.

+++
A few things could improve below is a list of areas that I hope we will see in the recommendations, most of these already exist in the communication but needs to be clarified. Especially in order to ensure that this process end up in the same innovation hostile straightjacket that so often seem to be the end result in well intended processes in Europe. Some of these have been developed in more details earlier, see for example the following document that I wrote for WWF together with Ewa Thorslund from the association of Swedish IT companies for the Swedish government:

1. Clear responsibility
Too often new initiatives fall flat, as they don’t fit in existing structures. Many countries have conducted studies and looked into the potential of ICT as an enabler. Then when it comes to implementation nothing (or very very little) happens. The commission must not make this mistake.


2. Separate the 2% from the 98% even more
The distinction between Green IT/2%/IT’s own emissions and Greening with IT/98%/IT’s ability to help reduce the emissions in society is still not clear enough and
the enabling capacity of ICT is not dealt with in a systematic way. The focus on transport and buildings is good, but a strategy must go further to ensure that the really innovative solutions are allowed to get support. It is not a significant problem for this communication, but for a strategy it is very important to separate the two so that no confusion can emerge regarding targets and resources.


3. Frame the recommendation within the concepts of “low- and high carbon feedback” or “20th century and 21st century infrastructure”
One of the major challenges with ICT is that it can deliver significant short-term reductions that can lock us in a high carbon infrastructure unless the feedback from the investments results in further reductions. Logistic improvements can make single vehicles a lot more efficient, but the result is often that the total amount of vehicles increases. Increased flexiwork can result in dramatic reduction of commuting and office space, but can also result in more flying.

Even more interesting is that many ICT investments can trigger further reductions, but this will only happen if a supporting framework exists. Keep your eyes open as a new report will come next week that describe this in detail for virtual meeting and teleworking. It will be posted here as soon as it is public.


4. Global perspective
The commission focus is obviously EU, but the need for smart solutions is global, and the need to ensure economy of scale and accelerated reductions of CO2 emissions require us to think global and to develop global strategies. Many of the leading ICT companies also work global


5. Trade/innovation perspective
I would like to see a chapter that include a concrete strategy to encourage trade (export and import of low carbon ICT solutions)

Let’s hope that communication can translate into concrete action.

PS
I hope that Sweden can move to the forefront in this area and support this work during the presidency and the climate meeting in Copenhagen where IT and other solution sectors could be supported to move to the front of the discussion.

The low carbon innovation movie on Youtube

Just trying to see if it is possible to put a Youtube clip here (and if it is possible to rate an embedded version):

High quality:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP8Frk2VidQ&fmt=18

Not so high quality
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP8Frk2VidQ

Op-ed in China Daily: Opportunity in crisis must be capitalized on

The below Op-ed in China Daily was written with the help of the WWF team in China, especially Yu Gao. China is a fast moving country and there are so many things happening there. I look forward to spend some more time there in the near future.

Opportunity in crisis must be capitalized on
By Dennis Pamlin (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-10 07:46

As President Hu Jintao stated on last Saturday at the NPC, a crisis also means an opportunity. This is very true especially when we talk about the financial and ecological crises together. The financial crisis is generating serious problems today, but these problems dwarf the catastrophe we will face if we do not address the over consumption of natural resources by the rich people on the planet. If everyone were to live like an American in terms of resource consumption, we would need more than five planets.

Scientists agree that a 21st century economy must be extremely resource efficient, still most countries have responded to the current financial crisis by suggesting increased investments in old industries and infrastructure. Even if jobs are created in the short term, unabated investment of this kind will accelerate the destruction of the planet, and generate conflicts between countries as the hunt for scarce natural resources intensifies. China must avoid a solution to one crisis that creates an even bigger problem. Any measure to deal with the financial crisis should be designed to both help people out of poverty, and at the same time help the rich part of the population shift to a resource-efficient lifestyle.

While most countries ignore poverty and only want to increase consumption, China must deal with both and do this in a way that ensures long-term sustainability. This task is difficult, but it also gives China a unique opportunity to become a key provider of truly sustainable solutions, not only for the domestic market but also for the rest of the world.

Construction in China offers one fantastic opportunity. There are cost-efficient solutions available today that would allow China to build resource-efficient buildings that are net producers of energy. Instead of the present situation where buildings use 40 percent of virgin materials and energy along with 16 percent of the annually available fresh water, China could take the lead in developing a new generation of buildings.

Another example of the new kind of infrastructure needed is "digital bridges and roads", often called virtual meeting rooms and tele-working. These are solutions that allow people to meet without having to physically travel. More than 4 million people fly between Beijing and Shanghai every year, and the number of people who commute by car to work is increasing fast. In this situation, China, and the rest of the world, has much to gain from a 21st century infrastructure that could help reduce unnecessary physical transport with cars and planes.

The world needs China as a key exporter of affordable sustainable solutions. The good news is that China is already on the way in many areas, for example by exporting energy-efficient light bulbs. About 80 percent of these energy efficient light bulbs come from China and in Europe alone 23 million tons of CO2 could be saved if more energy-efficient light bulbs were used.

Leading renewable energy companies are already attracted to the city of Baoding and want to help it become the Silicon Valley of renewable energy production. Everyday Baoding is helping the world by exporting wind and solar solutions, but much more could be done. It is also crucial to support innovative companies that so far have not been discussed as important solution providers. China Mobile is one example; a company which is world leading when it comes to resource efficient IT solutions, ranging from smart transportation solutions to e-paper, solutions which in the future should be exported.

WWF has just started a new global initiative which focuses on China as an opportunity for global sustainability. Through this initiative we will work with different stakeholders in China and urge foreign governments and companies to support China's efforts to shift towards resource-efficient development. We want to support both the development of more sustainable domestic solutions, but also an accelerated export of sustainable goods and services from China to the world.

Accelerating the transition towards a resource efficient, low carbon economy could make China and the companies in China rich while saving the planet. Over the next 30 years, more than 200 trillion dollars will be invested in urban areas around the world to provide basic services like transport, communication, light and heat. Already today, low carbon and environmental goods and services sector is worth around $4 trillion, according to a recently released report commissioned by the UK Government.

A strong focus on 21st century smart solutions in China would trigger increased domestic consumption that would not only be in coherence with the goals of a harmonious society and turn China into an innovation centre for the 21st century, but also enable the export of solutions that could help the world move toward a global circular economy.

The author is a WWF Global Policy Adviser.

(China Daily 03/10/2009 page10)

中国必须抓住金融危机里蕴含的机遇

[From China Daily]
上周六，胡锦涛主席在全国人民代表大会上指出，危机也意味着机会。当我们同时谈及金融和生态危机时，这就显得尤为正确。虽然目前经济危机带来了严重问题，但如果不解决富人对自然资源的过度消费，我们将面临灾难性的后果。与之相比，经济危机的影响不免相形见绌。如果地球上每一个人都像美国人一样消耗资源，我们将需要不止五个地球。

虽然科学家们一致同意21世纪的经济必须是资源高效型的，仍有多数国家提出增加在传统工业和设施上的投资以应对当前的金融危机。即使短期内可增加就业，但这类投资如果持续下去将加速对地球的破坏，国家之间也会因对有限自然资源的争夺而产生冲突。中国必须避免这类饮鸠止渴的作法。

应对金融危机，在减少贫困的同时，应采取措施帮助富裕阶层形成资源高效型的生活方式。当多数国家忽略了贫困问题而一味寻求消费增长时，中国必须二者兼，保证长期性的可持续发展。这个任务虽艰难，但也给中国提供了一个独特的机会，成为面向国内和国际市场提供真正可持续解决方案的主要国家。


中国正在进行的建设提供了这样一个绝佳的机会。利用现有的成本最优的解决方案，资源高效型的建筑物可以成为能源的净提供者。而目前的建筑秏用了40％的原材料和能源以及年度可用淡水的16％。中国可以成为开发新一代建筑的领导者。

另外一个新型基础设施的例子，是“数字桥梁和数字公路”，即虚拟会议和电话办公。这些方案使得人们不必长途跋涉就可以进行会谈。仅在北京和上海之间通过飞机来往的人，每年就超过了400万。而开车上班的人数更是迅速增加。在这种情况下，通过减少不必要的汽车和飞机出行，中国以及其他国家可以从21世纪的高效基础设施中获益良多。

世界需要中国成为可负担得起的可持续解决方案的主要出口国。可喜的是中国已经在很多方面开始行动了，例如出口价廉的节能灯泡。大约80％的节能灯泡产自中国，而更多地采用这类节能灯泡，仅在欧洲每年就可减少排放2300万吨二氧化碳。

领先的可再生能源公司已经汇集于保定市，帮助这座城市成为可再生能源生产的“硅谷”。保定市每天都在出口风能和太阳能设备，但还可以做的更多。

我们很少谈及创新型的公司是重要的解决方案提供者，而对他们的扶持也很重要。中国移动是一个例子，该公司提供包括智能交通管理到无纸业务等在内的资源高效型的IT解决方案，并成为了世界范围的领导者，而这些解决方案将来也可出口。

世界自然基金会近日启动了一项名为“China for a Global Shift” 的全球行动计划，将中国视为全球可持续发展的重要机会。通过这个行动计划，我们将与中国不同的利益攸关者合作，敦促外国政府和公司支持中国的发展模式向资源高效型转变。我们不仅支持可持续的面向中国国内的解决方案，而且旨在加速这类可持续产品和服务的出口。

加速向资源高效、低碳型的经济转变，可以使中国以及在中国的公司获利，也可以拯救地球。在下一个30年中，全球将有超过200万亿美元的投资将用于城市建设，提供诸如交通、通信、照明和热力等基础服务。根据英国政府委托进行的一项最新研究报告显示，目前低碳以及环境友好型的产品和服务市场规模已达4万亿美元。

中国对于21世纪明智的解决方案的重视，将激发不断增加的国内消费，这不仅与建设和谐社会的目标一致并推动中国成为21世纪的创新中心，并且可促进出口以帮助形成全球性的循环经济。

20 trillion reasons for not eating meat (or at least a lot less)

Interesting article in New Scientist...

I think meat will be a major issue this decade. I look forward to quite a few interesting food/meat projects during 2009...

CeBIT is moving in the 98% direction

This graph is a very rough overview of what the companies in the Green IT exhibition was communicating. It was just me walking around talking with people and looking, so it is not a scientific assessment. But it is clear that the IT sector is moving towards a 98% perspective… (see xls attachment for short comments)

The panel at the German-Californian ICT Business Summit in CeBIT was also very encouraging. The perspective that we need a 21st century infrastructure and insight about existing innovations from Brian McGowan, California's Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and Commerce, was refreshing. I think there will be synergies to my work there. Not the least as Arnold right before we started the panel both mentioned IT and Biotech as key sectors that drive innovation and delivers smart solutions…

Martin Jetter, General manager IBM Germany, also presented a concrete and visionary perspective with focus on cities, growing global population, demographic trends, etc… On top of that he announced that IBM will arrange seminars/conferences to focus on smart city solutions, so there might be opportunities for collaboration there as well.

More of these sessions would be nice to see. Fabian Bahr, Head of International Affairs and Mario Tobias Head of Technologies & Services from BITKOM, are really helping the IT Sector becoming a winner in the low carbon economy. Thanks!

The "Low carbon innovation movie" is here...

The movie is developed to support the thinking behind the Ashridge sustainability award. For me this competition was a follow-up process with HP where the focus has been low carbon innovation. I will upload the high-res version so it can be downloaded for use on any computer, but here at CeBIT the connection is not good enough for a 175 meg upload...

Thanks to Mattias, David and Lars at Projector for making this the first movie (that I know of) that captures the need to move from a product perspective to a service perspective and let a low carbon development drive innovation....

Article “Winners in a low carbon economy”

Wrote an article, “Winners in a low carbon economy” for CII’s magazine “Sustainable tomorrow”, based on the work with companies…

Subscription for the "Sustainable tomorrow" is available here.

A PDF version of my article can be downloaded here.

The WWF-ETNO roadmap for EU published in KISDI "ICT World Today"

A brief summary of "Saving the Climate @ the Speed of Light" was published by Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI) in the Spring Issue of ICT World Today.

Download the PDF from ICT world today here

or the full report here

Happy to see that the report Szomolányi Katalin and I wrote 2006 it is still very much alive and hope that EU can move from word to action. It looks like it is possible when looking at the European Commission and the ICT 2020 conference...

Green IT or Greening with IT at CeBIT? IS it 2% or 98% that we need to focus on?

Looking at the agenda for CeBIT (where I will attend) it looks very much like a 2% agenda (ITs own emissions). There are themes of 98% (the possibilities for IT to help society to reduce emissions with solutions like virtual meetings and smart buildings), but still the most of the focus seem to be on the 2%... This is obviously OK if this is what CeBIT and the companies would like to focus on, but I think it will be the last year 2% and 98% will be mixed… The balance between the two will depend on where CeBIT would like to go but I think we will se the 98% area and the 2% area more separated in the future…

I hope to find time to create a rough 2/98% index when I’m there and also ask those attending what they think about the balance/focus…

Maybe it is the names that are creating confusion, and maybe we should separate between “Green IT” and “Greening with IT”? See below for what seem to be an emerging consensus.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Low carbon IT solutions/Greening with IT/ the 98% potential
refer to the low carbon IT solutions like virtual meetings, smart buildings, smart grid and dematerialization that can help to reduce emissions significantly.

Low carbon IT/Green IT/the 2% emissions
refer to more energy efficient IT equipment that help reduce the emissions from the IT sector itself.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I realize that I'm not sure on what panels I will participate, but here and at one more event at least...

I will try to measure the balance between 2% and 98% at CeBIT and will come back with the results.

Lift conference 2009 in France now with an agenda

I look forward to Lift 2009 and some interesting discussions.

From the agenda:

Changing Things: Towards objects that are not just "smart" and connected, but also customizable, hackable, transformable, fully recyclable… Towards decentralized and multipurpose manufacturing, or even home fabrication…
Changing Innovation: Towards continuous and networked innovation, emerging from users as well as entrepreneurs, from researchers as well as activists…
Changing the Planet: Towards a "green design" that reconnects global environmental challenges with growth, but also with human desire, pleasure, beauty and fun…

Picture of me that can be used for conferences, webpages, media, etc.

http://pamlin.net/blog/uploaded_images/DennisPamlin1-709801.JPG