Carbon measurement methodology delivered for ICT sector | 16th Sep 2010

A new methodology to calculate the carbon reducing potential of products and services from the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector has been released. WSP has been at the heart of the technical delivery.

This practical method has been developed by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), with technical input from the Sustainability & Energy team in our North American business. The assessment methodology was developed for the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), an international partnership of ICT companies.

Eighteen leading ICT companies, all members of GeSI, were involved in helping us to develop the methodology, including AT&T, BT, Cisco, Microsoft, Nokia Siemens Networks, and Verizon.

GeSI's ground-breaking SMART 2020 report, published in 2008, states that ICT solutions have the potential to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 15% and save up to $750bn by 2020. The report and assessment methodology released this month from BCG and WSP provides specific guidance to the ICT sector on how to quantify the potential benefits of its products and services.

"This assessment methodology is aimed at promoting greater alignment among ICT companies, government officials, planners and policy makers. It will help to quantify the benefits of different ICT products in a consistent manner and enable decisions based on carbon benefit.  Ultimately this helps reduce the footprint of other industries" says Jon Taylor of WSP in San Francisco who played a key role in the team developing this online tool.

The methodology takes a comparative life-cycle assessment approach and quantifies the emissions saved when ICT solutions are applied. These can be dematerializing a delivery process, automating or digitizing a process, or promoting smart motors, logistics, or smart grids to decarbonize.

"Allowing all stakeholders to better understand the positive impacts of ICT solutions will drive higher adoption of new techniques and greater carbon reduction globally. We're delighted to have contributed to the methodology and WSP is well placed to help ICT organizations work through these types of analysis" says Jon Taylor.

The 'Evaluating the carbon-reducing impacts of ICT: An Assessment Methodology' report and other support materials are available on the GeSI website:

http://www.gesi.org/ReportsPublications/AssessmentMethodology.aspx

Contact: jon.m.taylor@wspgroup.com