Can you spot the difference? The World Business Summit on Climate Change drops ICT as part of Thought Leadership Series

Take a close look at the two pictures and see if you can see any difference. In the middle of actual summit, all of a sudden and without explanation, the expected paper on ICT was removed from the page… A number of ICT companies are participating at the summit, all of them with material that could have contributed to a report, so the question is why this happens.

Hard to see? Try this (and look at 8):

1. Screen capture With ICT

2. Without ICT

The process around the WBSCC has been one of the least transparent I have experienced for a “World Summit”. When there is a clear agenda that does not matter very much as this helps you to follow the agenda. But now things have become really mysterious.

ONE STEP FORWARD: On the initial draft for the full agenda there was no ICT companies in any of the plenary sessions. That was strange and after discussions with the organizers the panel was expanded and there was a whole table with ICT companies in the end [see earlier blog].

ONE STEP BACK: During the actual conference the page with the thought leadership papers was “downgraded”. All of a sudden there is no ICT paper among the papers. The aim of these papers is to:

“elucidating and creating awareness of the key elements in the business and policy response to the climate problem. The rationale for a Thought Leadership Series on Climate Change includes:

-A change in focus from stating we have a problem to communicating the solutions to the problem.

- The potential and opportunities inherent in tackling climate change."

Few other areas fit that description better than ICT and innovative solutions. B4E had it as a special theme, the European commission just issued a communication and from tomorrow OECD will host a high level meeting with focus on ICT.

That a climate summit 2009, that is meant to represent the business voice, is dropping ICT is both strange and worrying. The ICT sector and low carbon ICT solutions are one of the best examples of how new innovative thinking can turn reduced emissions into an opportunity. I really hope that it is not due to lobbying from companies in sectors that do not want to change.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the actual outcome of the summit.

Climate Positive message from China Mobile and Ericsson at the World Business Summit on Climate Change

Ericsson and China Mobile sent a strong "Climate Positive" message during the World Business Summit on Climate Change. At the panel "Shaping the new green economy" both companies discussed and gave concrete examples on how they already are helping society reduce emissions (not only reducing their own internal emissions) and the need for a "21st century infrastructure".

A few weeks a ago B4E took place in Paris where Suzlon and Suntech was on stage together. Here in Copenhagen China Mobile, Wipro and Ericsson was on stage together delivering the most innovative business messages during the first day of the conference. Interesting to see that many of the most innovative ideas are now emerging from China and India (or companies like Ericsson that include these companies in their strategy for smart solutions).

Will be interesting to see how much of this positive message that the final recommendations from the Summit wil include.

On what might become a photo of a historic event, from left to right:

Girish S. Paranjpe, Joint-Chief Executive Officer, Wipro
Li Zhengmao, Executive Board Member, China Mobile
Carl-Henric Svanberg, Chief Executive Officer, Ericsson

Wipro focused more on ICT's capacity to track emissions in real time and hopefully they will add the climate positive contributions later.

During the first day of the event Ericsson also sent out the below press release.

ERICSSON PRESS RELEASE
In support of the UN Global Compact Caring for Climate initiative, Ericsson's CEO Carl-Henric Svanberg addressed UN Secretary Ban-Ki Moon at an official meeting in Copenhagen. Mr. Svanberg said a new 21st century infrastructure is required to significantly contribute to the creation of a carbon-lean economy. "We must move away from dealing with emissions after they have already occurred, and focus instead on moving ideas, not people, with broadband being society's new highways.

"A large scale offsetting of CO2 emissions will require new ways of conducting business and new ways of living, and will also require large scale investments in Information and Communication technology (ICT). This sector could offset societal CO2 emissions by as much as 15 percent by 2020, and with an innovation-driven climate agenda, Ericsson estimates that this figure could be even higher. Ericsson's contribution is to provide the foundation for low-carbon services and solutions, through mass deployment of mobile and fixed broadband networks. Thus, leadership for Ericsson means growing the business while reducing carbon-related impacts", said Carl-Henric Svanberg.

Mr. Svanberg also spoke at the first plenary session of the World Business Summit on Climate Change, addressing industry and government leaders. The message to the global business community is that companies can turn the climate challenge into profitable opportunity and make a significant contribution to combatting climate change. To governments and regulators around the world, the message is that effective legislative and regulatory frameworks should make markets work for the climate. The results of the World Business Summit on Climate Change will be presented to the Danish government, host of COP15 in Copenhagen in December 2009, and to world leaders negotiating the terms of the next international climate treaty.

"Today investments to reduce CO2 emissions of ten only result in marginal improvements, or even increased emissions, due to an overall unsustainable development. In contrast, low carbon communi cation solutions which instead can be seen as "21st century infrastructure" can contribute to direct emissions reductions and also pave the way for further reductions by supporting a long-term sustainable development, Mr. Svanberg concluded.

http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/press/releases/20090524-1317171.shtml

INNOVATION KICK-OFF FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT AT COP 15

Now it is official, during a coffee break at the World Business Summit on Climate Change we launched the innovation initiative.

WHAT: SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATION COFFEE BREAK

WHEN: SUNDAY 24 MAY AT 16.10

WHERE: BELLA CENTRE, ROOM 17, FIRST FLOOR, CLOSE TO THE PLENUM AND COFFEE AREA

HOSTS:

JIM LEAPE, DIRECTOR GENERAL WWF INTERNATIONAL

ELAINE WEIDMAN, VICE PRESIDENT, SUSTAINABILITY, ERICSSON

STEEN RIISGAARD, CEO, NOVOZYMES

JERRY STOKES, PRESIDENT OF SUNTECH EUROPE

Some of the best minds in business and in the climate field will be gathered in Copenhagen. We want to make sure that we take the opportunity to gather the best ideas for an innovation agenda.

History is being written and you are a part of it. As the global climate discussion moves from problems to opportunities, and the need for actions that deliver deep reductions is well understood, it is time to create space for those with the solutions.

Join us for a cup of coffee and an inspiring break. We want to hear your ideas and feedback as we present an outline for a solution based agenda for a low carbon economy –an agenda that goes beyond incremental change.

We will present ideas on how businesses can be serious and concrete in building a new industrial paradigm in order to secure deep emission cuts while simultaneously creating jobs and growth. This event will focus on how states, cities and companies can support and accelerate the use of innovative solutions.

Most of the plenary discussions and side events at this summit and every summit leading up to Copenhagen in December focus on the size of emission cuts for conventional companies and countries. The discussion often focuses on incremental change of existing systems. This is obviously important, but we believe that it is essential to go beyond that. It is not possible to “reduce” our way to the 80 % or even 90 % reductions of GHG emissions by 2050. To achieve this, new paradigms and a new industrial infrastructure are required: we need to address not only what we must do less of, but also what we need to do more of.

Several companies and sectors are already providing low carbon solutions, which create transformational solutions that encourage further and deeper emission reductions. The ICT- Biotech- Smart Building- and Renewable Energy Generation industries are all good examples of such sectors. Given the right conditions these sectors can help lead us towards a low carbon economy without incurring unnecessary costs.

From the 24th May we will start to collect input and ideas for what messages need to be sent to COP 15 from an innovation perspective that support this paradigm shift.

HERE ARE THREE KEY MESSAGES THAT WE BELIEVE SHOULD BE SENT TO COPENHAGEN.
What do you think about them and what other messages should be sent?

"Governments must make sure that the current focus on improvements also includes solutions based transformative technologies that have a huge potential in terms of mitigating climate changes when they are used."

"Business, cities and states should be encouraged to report, not only their own emissions, but also their contribution to reductions in other parts of the economy. This would allow for climate positive reporting and catalyze action among companies that have solutions that can help reduce GHG emissions significantly, but are not big emitters (such as many IT and biotech companies)."

"Governments should shift from a product to a services perspective, applying life cycle approaches that support cradle-to-cradle strategies in business along all value chains and using ecosystem services sustainably. An effective global climate treaty must support the creation of an intelligent and bio-based 21st century low carbon infrastructure. "

Text us, email us or provide us with your blog or twitter address, and we will collect them and update the suggestions on the blog:

http://cop15innovation.blogspot.com

Innovation hotline for text messages:

tel: + 46 707 26 72 32

e-mail: cop15innovation@climateinnovators.net

Apa Sherpa carries Climate Change message on his record 19th ascent to Everest

Sometime people ask me what they can do for the planet… I think people should focus on what they are passionate about… There are many ways, one quite amazing and spectacular that I got today is Apa… I think we all can use what he’s done as inspiration. For all those who work with solutions it is also good to be reminded about the consequences of climate change. Taking the lead in saving the climate is not a 9 to 5 job....

See press release from WWF Nepal below…
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Kathmandu, Nepal – The WWF message – "Stop Climate Change, Let the Himalayas Live!" was carried to the top of the world by Apa Sherpa on his record 19th summit to the peak, reminding the world of its responsibility towards preserving this global heritage.

Apa Sherpa is one of the best persons to deliver this message to the world, having witnessed firsthand the changing landscape of the Himalayas in the wake of climate change during his decades of mountaineering experience, and having been a victim personally of its disastrous consequences.

At the summit, Apa also installed a Bumpa (sacred vase) personally blessed by the Venerable Rinpoche of Tengboche (Buddhist spiritual leader), containing 400 different sacred ingredients intended to restore the sanctity of the Himalayan beyul (sacred valleys) against negative impacts of rapid environmental changes.

Congratulating WWF and Apa on their efforts, Mr. Ganesh Sah, Nepal's Minister for Environment, Science and Technology said, "The well being of Himalayas is crucial for economic development of Nepal." "It's only by coming together we can deliver this message emphatically to the world."

Apa carried the WWF Banner during the Eco Everest Expedition. The expedition is led by two-time Everest Summiteer Dawa Steven Sherpa, a passionate advocate of climate change issues and also a WWF Climate Witness.

Mr. Anil Manandhar, Country Representative, WWF Nepal said, " WWF salutes the efforts of Apa and Dawa for taking the climate change message to the top of the world and being ambassadors for WWF's Climate for Life campaign." "Now, the time has come for the world to redirect its attention towards the Himalayas."

Will these individuals send the signal the world needs regarding the role of business and Climate Change?

Here is the list [download the PDF list here (use Adobe to read it)] of the participants that will meet next week in Copenhagen for "The World Business Summit on Climate Change". Right now it looks like things can happen and I’m optimistic…

The latest programme can be downloaded here

Keep you eyes open for cop15innovation also…