ICTs and Climate Change Mitigation in Developing Countries

"ICTs can be used in numerous ways to mitigate climate change by providing solutions that help measure, monitor, manage, and enable more efficient use of resources and energy. ICTs provide immense opportunities to improve the operation of infrastructure and systems and can contribute to dematerialisation, transport substitution, and smarter ways to live, work and spend our leisure time"

This briefing from the University of Manchester's "Climate Change, Innovation and ICTs" research project, funded by Canada's International Development Research Centre and managed by the University's Centre for Development Informatics, addresses information and communication technology (ICT) use in addressing challenges to urgent climate action in developing countries. These challenges include: "lack of awareness, capital, skills, appropriate technology, and appropriate market/policy regimes." the briefing calls for action through the following steps:

• "International organisations: to incorporate ICTs more clearly into lowcarbon technology transfer and financing.
• Governments: to build capacity and partnerships, and to create a business environment that incentivises both innovation and adoption of emitigation [mitigation of the challenges to sustainability posed by increased ICT proliferation] applications.
• Businesses: to develop new emitigation solutions appropriate to developing countries, and to drive adoption of such solutions within their entire supply chain."

The briefing outlines:

• The drivers behind climate change mitigation in developing countries
• Three main application domains for mitigation-relevant use of ICTs: 

1. green ICT - because the ICT industry reportedly "accounts for 2% of global CO2 emissions", expected to increase by 6% a year, measures to minimise emissions are enumerated on page 3 of this briefing;
2. smart ICT  - in energy, buildings, transportation, commerce, and forestry. Listed in a chart on page 4, these systems are developed to generate carbon savings and cost savings.
3. community ICT - "Most of the applications listed above lie outside the scope of use of community members within developing countries. Given their limited contribution to climate change - at least if we focus on [economically] poor rural communities - the impetus for action may seem limited. However, there are many examples of ways in which community members can be users of ICT applications that may make some contribution to climate change mitigation:
   • Awareness raising, using broadcast and narrowcast media to make individuals and groups aware of climate change issues and mitigation strategies.
   • Local contributions to deforestation: the type of participatory sensing noted above, but also use of ICTs such as community radio to encourage replanting and more efficient use of wood burning for heating and cooking. In many cases, these initiatives must be put in place alongside alternative sources of income and fuel for the community.
   • Obtaining information and guidance on 'climate-smart agriculture"', which may include attempts to reduce methane and related emissions. 
   • Journey substitution and other energy savings through use of dematerialised services such as e-government, ecommerce and e-health initiatives.
   • Use of videoconferencing (including Skype) to substitute for journeys that require meetings with government or other officials. Use of renewable energy sources such as solar chargers and panels to power ICT devices within the community."

• Key challenges and opportunities for developing countries include: lack of awareness of technological developments that can minimise carbon usage; limited capital, suitability of technologies for local conditions, resources, capacity, or technical and managerial skills to identify suitable technologies; and challenging regulatory and political circumstances.
• Strategic action steps on e-mitigation for international organisations, governments, and private firms:
  1. Action steps for international organisations:
  2. Actions steps for governments in developing countries include:
  3. Actions steps for private firms based in or trading with developing countries include:
• Sources of further information

Links to thematic papers, case studies, other strategy briefs and materials on ICTs, climate change, and development can be found here. The authors encourage the sharing of ideas on ICTs, climate change, and development here  and sharing of comment on key issues here.