Brussels –Following World Environment Day on June 5, ETNO would like to recall the unique potential of the Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in combating climate change and protecting the environment. The application of ICT based solutions in economic and social life is rapidly increasing throughout the world. For example, it is estimated that there are now some 6 billion mobile phone users and over 2.4 billion Internet users.

“The unprecedented growth of data traffic represents a major challenge for the ICT industry itself which needs to reduce its own emissions. ETNO members demonstrated their commitment to continuously reducing their own footprint through the implementation of energy optimisation strategies and increased reliance on renewable energy sources. Low-carbon applications and services developed by the sector are now needed by other sectors of the economy in order to accelerate the achievement of the EU’s ambitious energy efficiency targets”, said Danilo Riva, Chair of the ETNO Corporate Responsibility Working Group.

Nature and environment provide essential goods and services for human development. Human well-being and quality of life depend upon the quantity and quality of food, water, energy and biodiversity available to man. This link represents a major challenge for today’s world, as the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological objectives and needs is constantly reducing, and this may ultimately mean that future generations will not be able to satisfy their own needs. Now it’s time to de-couple economic growth from the use of natural resources. Climate change endangers the broad concept of human security: access to food, energy, water and other natural resources. It affects economic growth, wealth and jobs, social justice and inclusion.

ETNO agrees that this necessitates the adoption and implementation of additional standards for increased energy efficiency of products, networks and services. However, only through the implementation of measures which make it possible to fully exploit the potential of ICTs can a significant reduction of the total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions be achieved.

ETNO, the leading voice of Europe’s telecommunications network operators since 1992, is strongly committed to make sustainable development happen, and its commitment is well known and testified, among many initiatives and achievements, through the Association’s Sustainability Charter. 

ETNO supports the Montreal Declaration adopted at the 7th ITU Symposium on ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change which took place on 29-31 May 2012. The Declaration recognizes the need for a comprehensive and global response to environmental challenges involving all major stakeholders and calls for enabling policies to encourage investment in smart technologies and ICT based clean technologies as a way of promoting green growth and sustainable development. Specifically the Declaration calls for global leaders, public sector officials, ICT and environmental experts and representatives from international organizations, that will gather at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), the 2012 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP18-CMP8) and the 2012 ITU World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-12) to settle key priorities and provide clear guidance on how to move the global green agenda forward through the use ICTs.

On the occasion of the celebration of the World Environment Day, ETNO would like to express its support to the Montreal Declaration and calls on all the ICT players to endorse it.