Methodologies for the assessment of the environmenal impact of ICT

1. Methodologies for the assessment of the environmenal impact of ICT Kyriakos Baxevanidis Deputy Head of Unit European Commission Directorate-General: Communications Networks, Content and Technology Unit: Smart Cities and Sustainability 16th October 2013

2. "We don't inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children"A saying attributed variously to ancient Indians, Native Americans, or French writer Antoine de Saint Exupéry

3. The duality of ICT

4. Energy Reductions enabled by ICT Energy Consumption of ICT solutions ~10% of total electricity consumption ~15-20 % by 2020 Sources: Pickavet & all (UGent-IBBT) Source: An ICT policy agenda to 2015 for Europe (Swedish Presidency)

5. Own impact – some facts… • ICT electricity use approaches 10% of global electricity generation (i.e. it uses 50% more energy than global aviation) • ICT electricity consumption will triple by 2020 and GHG emissions will double • ICT GHG emissions will increase from 1.3 % of global share in 2002 to 2,3 % in 2020 (from 0,53 GtCO2 to 1,3 GtCO2 ) (GeSI) • Telecom Italia accounts for 1% of electricity consumption in Italy • Electricity consumption of data centres may be as much as 70% higher than previously predicted (Greenpeace April 2012).

6. What is the main issue to start with?

7. Bigger picture Measures e.g. Ecodesign Directive, Green Procurement Metrics e.g. for data centres: WUE, CUE, GEC, ERF PUE Methodologies (Life-Cycle) ? (lack of transparency)

9. European response to the challenge We first need to measure transparently the environmental effect!

10. EU policy framework • Europe 2020: Smart, Sustainable & Inclusive Growth • 20/20/20 targets for 2020 • Oct 2009: Commission Recommendation • mobilising ICT to facilitate transition to energy-efficient, low-carbon economy • March 2011 - Roadmap for moving to a competitive low carbon economy by 2050 • Reducing GHG emissions by 80-95% by 2050 (compared to 1990 values) • July 2012 - European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities • large-scale deployment of smart city solutions in Europe, focusing on intersections of ICT, energy and transport

11. Commission Recommendation of 09.10.2009 ‘… that the ICT sector: • commits to a progressive decarbonisation process leading to a measurable and verifiable reduction in energy intensity and carbon emissions of all processes involved in the production, transport and sales of ICT equipment and components. • participates, through its sector associations, in an exercise to be initiated by the European Commission (EC) that aims to: • develop a framework to measure its energy and environmental performance, for which the sector will be expected to contribute the baseline data by 2010; • adopt and implement common methodologiesto this end by 2011; • identify, by 2011, efficiency targets that aim to exceed the EU 2020 targets by 2015; • issue a roadmap within three months of adoption of this Recommendation, thereafter annual reports; • works with the EC and other relevant public bodies and international organisations in order to develop an auditing and verification framework …’

12. EU initiative: ICT-footprint • Promote adoption of a common methodological framework for measuring ICT-footprint • Ensure availability of relevant standards in cooperation with international standard/consensus organisations (e.g. ITU, ETSI, IEC, GHG-Protocol) • Pilot testing of standards by industry www.ict-footprint.eu

13. Bigger picture Measures e.g. Ecodesign Directive, Green Procurement Manufac turing Transport Sales Operations Usage Disposal Recycling Raw Mat. Extraction Metrics e.g. for data centres: WUE, CUE, GEC, ERF PUE Methodologies (Life-Cycle Assessment) ICT (products, organisations)

14. Macro: Aggregation of information ICT in Countries ISO -Smart Community Infrastructure (metrics for cities including ICT) Bilan Carbone FR (Reporting) ICT in Cities L-1440 ICT Projects L-1430 IEC Carbon Disclosure Project (Reporting) Bilan Carbone FR (Reporting) GHGP ( widely used) ICT in Organizations-L- 1420 LCA of ICT Goods, Networks and Services L-1410 ITU JRC – Product environmental footprint ETSI ETSI TS 103 199 ICT Product Category Rules Guidance IEC 62725 IEC Pilot-tested by industry on initiative of DG CNECT ICT Product Category Rules Micro: Breakdown and detail of information

15. What is next? • Deployment of Methodologies; Standards-evolution • "A Single Market for Green Products" initiative • Promoting common methods for measuring the environmental footprint of all products & organisations (including ICT) • 3-year pilot testing phase, 14-pilots initially selected • Possible legislative measures after above period • Strategic Implementation Plan for European Innovation Partnership – Smart Cities&Communities Key role of e-Governments to promote Green ICT (green public procurement, etc)

16. Further information • Recommendation on ICT-role for low-carbon economy: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/news/recommendation-mobilising-ict-facilitate-transition-energy-efficient-low-carbon-economy • Digital Agenda for Europe - Environment:http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/life-and-work/environment • Roadmap to competitive low carbon economy by 2050: http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/roadmap/index_en.htm • European Innovation Partnership for Smart Cities & Communities: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/technology/initiatives/smart_cities_en.htm • Single Market for Green Products initiative: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/