Further, faster, together: The vital role of ICTs in mitigating and adapting to climate change

What has ICTs to do with climate change? Malcolm Johnson the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Deputy Secretary General, answers this question in the published news items coinciding with the COP23 that was discussing The Paris Agreement.

He positions ICTs as a solution to the current world climate challenges. These include the (i) reported increase in the concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, (ii) extreme weather induced events happening with increasing frequency. These disasters are estimated to have cost the global economy $520 billion a year and have pushed more than 24 million people yearly into poverty.

Can the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) be part of the solution? Imagine, the number of mobile subscriptions are 7.75 billion and projects show that by 202 the number of devices connected to the Internet will be 50 billion ( see Image below)

Hence, ITU is maintain the treat on the use of the radio spectrum and satellite orbits ; guiding member countries to invest in climate smart ICTs for development; assists in using technology before, during and after the disasters to mitigate the effects of disasters. However the silver bullet lies in sustainable partnerships between ITU, private sector and member countries

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