Environmental Issues In ICT Sector

Sehrish Syed

12 HRM -15

What is ICT…? Built on the 4 Cs

Computing

Communication

Content and human

Capacity

ICT is more than computers and telephony

ICT is embedded in virtually all Industrial

Commercial and

Service system

ICT Impact on Various Areas

Continue

ICTs have helped us solve many challenges

– such as connecting us globally

– entertaining us in every possible way

– helping us to be more productive, efficient and effective.

This valuable Sector has a negative side too

ICT and The Environment The relationship among ICTs, innovation and the environment is

often examined in terms of three distinct kinds of effects

Direct effects:

• The impacts and opportunities created by the physical existence of ICT and the processes involved

Indirect effects:• The impacts and opportunities created by the ongoing

use and application of ICT

Systemic effects:

• The impacts and opportunities created by the aggregated effects of large numbers of people using ICT over the medium to long term.

Case Study – We Will See in CourtDirect Impact

Workers making televisions and semi-conductors at a factory in Taiwan

Filed a lawsuit against Radio Corp of America (RCA), claiming that contamination of ground and drinking water with toxic chemicals and exposure within the factory was responsible for 1,375 cases of cancer among former employees, including 216 deaths.

“This is the worst case of cancer cluster in the world caused by the high-tech industry,” said Ted Smith, of Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.

Continue…

In the US, 50 “clean room” workers (working in sealed rooms where microchips another electronic parts are made in a dust-free environment) have brought a case claiming that

– IBM and other high-tech companies withheld vital information that workers could have used to protect themselves.

Over 250 worker health lawsuits have been filed against IBM in America alone some 57 relate to birth defects in workers’ children

Future Impact of ICT on Environmental sustainability indicator in 2020

ICT Impact on the Environment

Dematerialization (digitization of information)

Reduction of movement and transportation

Making industry and lifestyles more efficient etc.

Consumption of energy Consumption of natural resources Generation of waste

Negative Aspects on Environment Positive Aspects on Environment

Minimization towardsEnvironmentally

Sustainable ICT Sector

Maximization towardsEnvironmentally

Sustainable Society

Should quantify both environmental aspects. Should quantify both environmental aspects.

Environmental loadreduction achieved

by ICT

Environmental load

caused by ICT

Dematerialization (digitization of information)

Reduction of movement and transportation

Making industry and lifestyles more efficient etc.

Consumption of energy Consumption of natural resources Generation of waste

Negative Aspects on Environment Positive Aspects on Environment

Minimization towardsEnvironmentally

Sustainable ICT Sector

Maximization towardsEnvironmentally

Sustainable Society

Should quantify both environmental aspects. Should quantify both environmental aspects.

Environmental loadreduction achieved

by ICT

Environmental load

caused by ICT

Source: ITU (International Telecommunication Union)

Issue - Consumption of Energy in ICT

o More userso More data-intensive applications, e.g. videoo Increasing demand → operators provide faster access o and increased core capacityo New applications enabled by faster access

Energy Consumption Grows

Future energy consumption -Increase by more than 37%

Energy Consumption in a Network

Continue….

Issue - Generation of Waste

ICTs and its components are directly responsible for production of significant amount of:

Electronic waste

Green House Gases (GHGs)

Generate Carbon dioxide (CO²)

What is ICT Waste or E-Waste…?

Electrical or Electronic appliance that has reached its end-of-life A US National Safety Council Report predicted that

– 63 million Personal computers will become waste in the US alone in 2004

– By 2006, in the US,130 million mobile phones will be thrown out each year

A 2002 report by The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC), concluded:– ‘trade in e-waste is an export of real harm to the poor communities

of Asia…..

A BBC’s investigation– ‘Recycling poison: e-waste workshops’ exposed– both the human and environmental damage caused by this

practice.

Challenge

E-Waste full of all kind of material Toxic and Non-toxic

Toxic materials are attached to non toxic materials which are very difficult to separate. Responsible recycling required

E-Waste recycling emits Carbon dioxide (Co2)

Carbon Footprint of Telecoms (devices & infrastructure)

The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted during an industrial or domestic process; a measure of how that process contributes toward

global warming.

Why E- waste is a Problem?

we will have to implement new industrial production systems that generate less waste and fewer disposal components to begin with

Recycling is certainly a worthy practice, and by simply tossing the right matter in the right bin

E- waste constitute 40% lead and 70 % metals in landfills

Green House Gases (GHG) Greenhouse gases ,absorb and emit infrared

Total future GHG emissions behave similarly to total future energy consumption

Emissions could increase by 32% under worst-case assumption

The most abundant greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are:

Water vapor Carbon dioxide Methane Nitrous oxide ozone

Green House Gas (GHS)

Conclusion

ICTs can be used as a valuable tool to lessen the effect of climate changeglobal warming and assist the Environment in reaching a sustainable

green goal

ITU (and climate change) also Focusing on

Energy consumption and GHG emissions

Conclusion… OECD strategies and proposed policies linking

ICTs to the environment and climate change

Agreeing on a global long-term visionAdvancing research and analysisMobilizing “Green ICT”Developing indicators and metrics

“ICT is not the solution to any

of them ICT is the peace of the solution to all of them.”