ITU Workshop on
“Tackling Climate Change and Specific Absorption
Rate (SAR) Measurement”
(Cotonou, Benin, 19 July 2012)
Towards Concerted African Efforts in
ICT and Climate Change
(Snapshots From ITU- T Q23/5, Egypt and
Ghana)
Nevine Tewfik
Director, Research, Policies and
Strategic Planning
MCIT- Egypt
ntewfik@mcit.gov.eg
Cotonou, Benin, 19 July 2012
Some Facts About Africa and Climate
Change
According to the ITU and Gesi report on Using
ICTs to tackle Climate Change: There will be a
predicted rise in average temperature of 1.16.4°C6 during the 21st century7. The results will
be uneven in their distribution, with low-lying
coastal areas at risk because of rising sea levels
and sub- Saharan Africa at risk due to
desertification… a growing number of refugees
and increased pressure on water sources and
vulnerable ecosystems. By 2020, up to a quarter
of a billion Africans will experience increased
water stress, and crop yields in some African
countries
are expected to drop…
Cotonou, Benin, 19 July 2012
SG5- Q23
The ITU Survey on ICT and Climate
Change- 2011
193 Member States in ITU
Answers were received from
49 Member States
65 + 4 complete entries received
4 entries from
transition countries
27 entries from
developed countries
12 entries from least
developed countries
22 entries from
developing countries
144 Member States did
not provide an answer to
the survey
Some countries provided more than one answer
(e.g. Belgium=2, People’s Republic of China=2, Finland=3, Greece=7, Japan=3, Spain=2,
Russian Federation=2, United Kingdom=2)
Entries received from Ministries, Regulatory Authorities,
Sector Members and Associates
3
Main Issues Considered by The
Survey
2011 survey questions
Q1
Does your government (or company) have a policy regarding climate change?
Q2
Does your government (or company) have any ongoing actions in terms of adaptation to
climate change?
Q3
Have you estimated the global ICT footprint in your country in terms of greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions?
Q4
Are you aware of any “green” ICT initiatives which could provide better design and energy
consumption?
Q5
Are you aware of the so-called rebound effect that would offset the beneficial aspects of
green ICT or any ICT consuming less energy?
Q6
What severe weather conditions are typical in your rural/remote regions?
Q7
Is your administration using any systems and applications of ICT to adapt to climate
change?
Q8
What ICT services would enable communities to better adapt to climate change?
Q9
What specific technologies or standards for ICT equipment are used by your
administration to gather data to monitor climate change?
Q10
What technologies and/or standards could enhance the gathering of
data/information about climate change for your administration?
5
Q11
What ICTs and standards are used by your administration to disseminate
information about climate change to those who need it (e.g. in broadcast, satellite
systems)?
Q12
What technologies and/or standards could enhance the dissemination of
information about climate change to those who need it?
Q13
Access to information is important for communities needing to adapt to climate
change. What are the challenges to deploying telecommunication infrastructure
in rural/remote areas in your region?
Q14
What primary and backup energy sources are available in your rural/remote areas?
Q15
What types of telecom/mobile systems are needed to allow enhanced access to
information concerning climate change or extreme weather events in rural/ remote
regions?
Q16
What are the educational opportunities in rural/remote regions to train individuals
in the use of ICTs for adaptation to climate change?
Q17
Some systems are specifically developed for developing countries most of them have
some features that are not essential enough to justify their cost and/or lack the
required specification to meet the existing conditions in developing countries.
What are the specifications and features that are essential in rural/remote
regions in your country?
Q9 What specific technologies or standards for
ICT equipment are used by your administration
to gather data to monitor climate change?
Type of technology
Satellite systems:
32
Airborne systems:
11
Terrestrial
systems (mobile
and fixed):
41
Subsea systems:
11
Others:
6
Mentioned by
number of
entities
8
Q10 What technologies and/or standards could
enhance the gathering of data/information about
climate change for your administration?
Ministry of Communications and
Informatization
(Belarus)
Ministry of Industry and
Information Technology
(People’s Rep. of China))
Ministry of Infrastructure,
Transport and Networks
(Greece)
Korea Communications
Commission
(Republic of Korea)
7
•Web technologies, wireless broadband access, M2M.
•ICT environment-monitoring technology.
•Installing remote sensors and submarine cables to monitor climate
change.
•NDIR, GC-ECD, Ubiquitous Sensor Network (USN), etc.
Lesotho Communications
Authority
(Lesotho)
•Automated weather stations with advanced terrestrial systems
(GPS)
satellite.
Nepal Telecommunications
Authority
(Nepal)
•Sophisticated wireless sensor networks, wireless IP networks ,
satellite imaging sensors.
Q11 What ICTs and standards are used by your
administration to disseminate information
about climate change to those who need it (e.g.
in broadcast, satellite systems)?
Type of technology or standard
8
Noted
by # of
entities
Terrestrial systems
(public fixed):
33
Terrestrial systems
(public cellular):
33
Terrestrial systems
(private networks/ private
mobile radio):
24
Interactive voice:
14
Others:
16
Q12 What technologies and/or standards could
enhance the dissemination of information about
climate change to those who need it?
Communications Regulatory
Authority (Lithuania)
Information and Communication
Technologies Authority (ICTA)
(Turkey)
•Wireless connections.
•Broadcasting networks.
Orascom Telecom Bangladesh Limited
•Private network, private mobile radio, interactive voice,
(Banglalink)
television channels.
(Bangladesh)
NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
(Japan)
•Push message compatible handsets will become even more
popular.
Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Co.
KG (Germany)
(Finland)
•Telecom and ICT provide the key channels to inform about
climate change.
Microsoft Europe
(Belgium)
The Abdus Salam International
Centre for Theoretical Physics (Italy)
Asia-Pacific Institute for
Broadcasting Development
(International)(Malaysia)
November 2011
•The use of cloud platforms such as Windows Azure. This can
potentially allow the better calculation of relevant data sets.
•Low cost SMS when sending climate change information.
•Digital terrestrial TV and radio.
9
Q13 What are the challenges to deploying
telecommunication infrastructure in rural/remote
areas in your region?
*Number of entities that mentioned these types
of challenges.
November 2011
10
Revised Tasks of Q23/5 ICT and
Adaptation
 Produce a Recommendation on: Best
practices for countries to use ICT in
adapting to the effects of climate change
 Produce a Recommendation on: Adapting
the ICT sector and infrastructure to the
impacts of climate change
 Develop an ICT and Climate Change
Adaptation portal based on the
recommendation that would include best
practices on ICT and Climate
Change.
November 2011
Cotonou, Benin, 19 July 2012
Egypt’s Green ICT Strategic Initiative
within the new ICT Sector Strategy
2012- 2017
Raising Community Awareness
ICT &
Sustainable Climate
ICT sector
Change
Adaptation
ICT &
Climate
Change
Mitigation
Digital
Identity
manag.
Public
Sector
Informat.
Arabic eContent
Egypt’s
Green ICT
Strategic
Initiatives
2012- 2017
Back to
Africa
Cloud
Computing
and etablets
People
with
Disabilit.
NC4CIT
Nile Corridor for Communications & Information technology
Community
Development
Infrastructure &
Policies
Business
Development
Education
Infrastructure &
IT Parks
ICT Business
Partnership
Health
Regulatory
Environment
ICT
Entrepreneurship
Poverty Reduction
Network Security
Market Research &
Business Indicators
Women & child
Democracy &
Governance
March 2012
1st
Largest
Regional
Technology
Park
In Process: e-waste Academy
with Step Initiative… Water
Management Workshop with
ITU… Local Portal
Copyright© 2012 MCIT
14
Committed to Connecting the World
ITU Project in Ghana
“Climate Change
Adaptation, Mitigation
and ICTs:
The Case of Ghana”
15
Committed to Connecting the World
Impacts of Climate Change in Ghana
 Evidence of climate change abound in
Ghana. Temperature has increased by
0.6 - 0.8 °C since 1960.
 According to projections of the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
by 2080 the rainfall will reduce by 20%
to 40% while the temperature will rise by
4.5 C.
 All these conditions will not be suitable
for the growing of cocoa anywhere in
the country.
The rainfall pattern is affecting maize
production. By 2020 it is projected that
there will be a 7% decline in production.
“Africa's contribution to
greenhouse gases is low;
however the continent is
suffering the most in
terms of the effects of
climate change.
Cocoa for instance could
become a rare crop in the
next 15 years if
something is not done to
reverse the effects of
climate change.”
H.E. John Dramani
Mahama, Vice
President, Ghana
16
Committed to Connecting the World
ICT and CC Adaptation at Different Levels:
The Case of Ghana
ICTs
Ghana’s
Climate Change
Adaptation
INTERNATIONAL
Level
NATIONAL
Level
ICTs & CC
Adaptation
• Role within International
CC Negotiations and
Actions
Key Stages of the Adaptation
Process:
• Informed Decision Making
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Adaptation Delivery
• Feedback & Learning
• Institutional Capacity
Building
Examples related to:
SECTORAL &
COMMUNITY
Level
•
•
•
•
Food Security
Water Supply
Health
Infrastructure
17
Conclusions and Recommendations
More input is needed from African countries to
produce a relevant recommendation on best
practices on ICT and adaptation as well as
adaptation of the ICT sector.
Next Meeting of Working Party 3/5 (8-12 October, Geneva)
Feedback needed on Roadmap for an
Adaptation web site to cater effectively to the
needs of the continent.
Conducting the survey next year, as well as on
a regular basis (once a year).
Invite African countries to hold Adaptation
Workshops in 2013 together with ITU.
Cotonou, Benin, 19 July 2012
Conclusions and Recommendations
Consider the revision of resolution 73Information and Communication Technologies
and Climate Change adopted at the WORLD
TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDIZATION
ASSEMBLY in Johannesburg, 21-30 October
2008 at the next WTSA meeting in November
2012 for a more relevant and updated text.
Use the Montreal Declaration issued by The 7th ITU
symposium as a possible reference, as well as
recent documents enjoying consensus.
http://www.itu.int/ITUT/worksem/climatechange/201205/index.html
Cotonou, Benin, 19 July 2012
Thank You
More information on ITU-T Activities
on ICT and CC
www.itu.int/itu-t/climatechange
Cotonou, Benin, 19 July 2012