GeSI report highlights prospects of information technology
December 24, 2012GeSI shows that information and communication technology could help curb emissions and reduce energy costs
The Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), a conglomerate comprised of companies in the information and communication technology industry, has released a new report concerning the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and cutting energy costs. The report highlights the prospects of using information technology to reduce emissions and offset the costs associated with energy. The report, titled “SMARTer2020,” suggests that information technology could be a valuable tool in the fight against emissions and could make energy a less problematic issue, financially speaking.
Technology could offset $1.9 trillion in energy spending
According to the GeSI report, the use of information and communication technology could cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 16.5% by 2020. This technology could also help offset some $1.9 trillion in energy and fuel costs. GeSI believes that virtualization initiatives could have a powerful impact on greenhouse emissions. Such initiatives include cloud computing and video conferencing. In the instance of cloud computing, cloud networking servers can consume significantly less energy than traditional data servers, thus reducing the amount of fossil-fuels used to keep them powered.
Transportation could benefit from the use of advanced communication technologies
The GeSI report highlights the transportation sector as one of the sectors that can benefit most from the use of information and communication technologies. Video conferencing, for instance, can take a significant number of vehicles off the road and cut down on travel, thus reducing emissions and saving money on fuel costs. GeSI notes that the agriculture sector also has some potential to benefit from the adoption of advanced information and communication technology, which could allow farmers to adequately assess their irrigation and fertilization processes.
GeSI report paints a promising future in terms of the environment
GeSI notes that information technology could be a powerful tool in the fight against climate change. Technology had advanced significantly over the past several years and may provide companies and organizations using it with significant benefits in terms of energy. If the adoption of environmentally-centric information and communication technology picks up, 2020 may be a good year in terms of the environment.