"It is estimated that more effective use of ICTs could help reduce total global emissions by 15 per cent by 2020, representing carbon savings five times more than the estimated emissions for the whole ICT sector in 2020," said a statement from the ITU.

The Global e-Sustainability Initiative estimates that these reductions could deliver energy efficiency savings to global businesses of over Sh50 trillion.

ITU pointed to the fact that since the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in December 1997, the number of ICT users had tripled worldwide, but ICTs find no mention in the current draft to be discussed in Copenhagen.

Some of the projects undertaken by the ICT community to ‘green’ the world is the development of the Universal Charging Solution which has resulted in creation of one-size-fits-all chargers that can be used on any future phone.

Use of this charger on mobile phones is estimated to result in a 50 per cent reduction in standby energy consumption, eliminating 51,000 tonnes of redundant chargers, and cutting green house gas emissions by 13.6 million tonnes every year.

Source: Allafrica