Session II.2 ICT and Sustainability - Mutual Impact and Gains

ORGANISERS / CONTACT

Markus Fiedler, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden; Network of Excellence Euro-NF
Seppo Yrjola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Finland, Smart Grids and Energy Markets Program

BACKGROUND

Sustainability issues are drawing increasingly much attention. It is well-understood that we cannot continue to generate and consume energy in the way we do it today. ICT and in particular Future Internet technologies have the potential and are expected to provide key contributions to improve sustainability. Smart applications, services and networks can help to make energy production and transportation more effective and environmentally friendly, and they offer the means to provide new work and care facilities. ICT, on the other hand, faces sustainability concerns itself, amongst others through its contribution to the carbon footprint. This kind of paradox – ICT being enabler and sinner at the same time – puts significant demands on the way that smart ICT provides its support to sustainability. Actually, we already witness the trend in networking that “energy saving is in, over-provisioning is out”. Taking the smart grid as an example, it is expected that smart applications and services will enable energy savings in an energy-efficient way by physically and logically coming closer to energy producers and consumers.

OBJECTIVES / DESCRIPTION

In this session, the ambivalent relationship between ICT and sustainability will be investigated, focusing on the impacts on each other, such as the environmental impact of ICT and the related need to save energy, as well as the potential for gains, in particular the possibilities to increase sustainability through ICT that is sustainable in itself. The goal is to stake out tangible ways to maximise the gain of combining ICT and sustainability aspects, while trying to minimise eventual impacts on each other.

On May 16, 2011, a Future Internet Cluster Workshop (FICW) co-organised by the European Commission and the Network of Excellence (NoE) Euro-NF will take place, which will focus its two sessions on “The impact of sustainability on ICT” and “The impact of ICT on sustainability”. It is expected that outcomes from this workshop will provide valuable input to be disseminated at this FIA session.

FORMAT OF THE SESSION

The session will be organised in form of a panel. Following the introduction, each panellist will have the possibility to present her view on the facets of the mutual impact of ICT and sustainability on each other, and on how to make ICT and sustainability to work hand-inhand. Questions from the public will be collectively addressed after the statements and will lead into the moderated discussion on the mutual gains of ICT and sustainability and how to allocate them, including the public.

AGENDA