During the last decade, growing concerns over the global environment and subsequent effects of climate change that is blamed on human population boom has led to the establishment of green revolution. Initially, considered more of a loose movement of environmentalists and academicians, this green revolution literally has grown into a global phenomenon.
The Green Revolution has expanded to different sectors from agriculture, manufacturing, power distribution, water resource management, traffic systems, and construction among others. These sectors have adopted green systems that are primarily for long-term sustainable development.
One sector that has fully embraced green technology is the information and communications technology (ICT) industry. This sector has become the backbone of nearly all industries as it builds on the need for faster and more efficient transactions at lesser costs. In fact, an International Data Corporation study revealed that ICT investments went up to US$3 trillion in 2010. This already points to increasing demand for ICT in various businesses.
A report in 2010 by Connection Research showed that greenhouse gas emissions from the ICT sector would increase slowly over the next decade until 2020. Furthermore, the study showed that green ICT implementations are minimal or rudimentary at best.
Surprisingly, the Connection Research report only covered the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and India, which are among the biggest consumers of ICT. This implies that companies and other institutions in these countries have yet to fully comprehend the need for green ICT.
For instance, smart electricity grids and metering systems improve distribution of electricity to areas where they are most needed, thus reducing wastage of power. Likewise, water management systems can also be controlled using intelligent ICT systems. Sewer systems can also be monitored and maintained to reduce pollution. Buildings, which account for nearly 40 percent of all power being used, could cut down consumption by as much as 20 percent if automatic lighting and air conditioning systems are put in place.
Even the construction of new buildings can be more efficient using ICT instruments that help engineers visualise the physical infrastructure as well as lay out all the utility requirements (electricity, cable TV, internet and telephone connections, water, etc) from the design phase.
From an economic standpoint, as stated in a study by the World Economic Forum, the impact of ICT on the economy is not direct but through the benefits gained from its utilisation in various sectors.
HASAN JAMAL
Karachi
