China Daily Article: Looking for historic shift in Cancun talks

Here is an article from this weeks China Daily European edition:

PDF can be downloaded here.

Looking for historic shift in Cancun talks

The world’s climate negotiators will meet in Cancun in early December to discuss the possible ways forward for global efforts to avoid dangerous climate change. Some pessimistic voices have been heard, but it should not be forgotten that much indicates that we will see a historic shift in Cancun, a shift where solution companies and transformative solutions are given
a more prominent role.

So far the focus in the negotiations has been how heavy-emitting sectors should reduce their emissions and what countries should force their heavy emitting industry to begin reducing emissions. Three things make Cancun different:

1. Up until recently, the main focus was on the initial reductions agreed under the Kyoto Protocol, or about 5 percent of reductions. It is now time to focus on transformative solutions that can deliver significant reductions (for example, 30 percent or more by 2020 in the European Union as being discussed by policy makers and then close to a zero-carbon
economy by 2050).

2. It is time to encourage more public-private partnerships and bring in the views of industry and various sectors and companies that can provide solutions to climate change, and not only focus on those with big emissions.

3. So far much of the focus has been on low-carbon solutions for rich countries. It is now time to focus more on solutions that can be used by both rich and poor. For this to happen, solutions allowing for technological leapfrogging is necessary.

This situation makes it important to focus on transformative solutions and not only incremental improvements in existing systems, such as more energy-efficient coal power plants and cars. Incremental solutions can be important, but only if combined with transformative
solutions. If not these investments will lock us into a high-carbon society that is not able to
deliver the necessary reductions.

Still, it is common to discuss the cheapest reductions of incremental reductions without analyzing whether these reductions are the best way to ensure the reductions that are needed to avoid dangerous climate change.

It is time to focus more on transformative low-carbon solutions that deliver the services in totally new ways, such as teleworking, video-conferencing, zero-emitting buildings, e-books and smart architecture. These solutions often reduce emissions 80 percent or more compared with traditional ways of providing the service. They depend on a low-carbon underlying
infrastructure; all countries can use such solutions and they support technological leapfrogging.

The Mexican government has included solutions companies, such as those from the ICT (information and communication technology) sector, in a unique way during the preparations for COP16 (16th Conference of the Parties).

This process mirrors the constructive approach that the Chinese government and Chinese companies have promoted together with leading countries and international corporations.

Companies such as China Mobile have together with international companies and experts explored the contribution, and future potential, from transformative ICT solutions.

The role of ICT to support low-carbon city development has also been strongly supported by
many policy makers in China. During the fourth International CEO roundtable of Chinese and foreign multinational corporations, Zheng Wantong, vice-chairman of China’s top political consultative body, highlighted that the ICT is a useful tool to make cities more convenient,
efficient and safe.

Renewable energy companies such as Trina and Yingli Solar have also initiated dialogue with
international companies to explore how they can help reduce global CO2 emissions together and create jobs. Accelerating uptake of solar solutions in China and the rest of the world require intensive international collaboration.

What is encouraging with a solution approach around transformative solutions, such as low-carbon ICT solutions, is that they support and depend on collaboration. Low-carbon ICT solutions that enable a 21st century transport and communication system need electric
batteries for both cars and laptops.

This requires software solutions to control charging of electric cars and secure connections so that people can telework and do other things that different companies must collaborate
to deliver.

By looking at required system solutions for low-carbon development, instead of only a few parts, it will become obvious that the world needs collaboration and not protectionism
to accelerate the uptake of transformative low-carbon solutions.

Much indicates Cancun could be historic and not only have a number of governments acknowledged the need for a solution approach. A work stream with focus on transformative
low-carbon solutions could be launched in Cancun during COP16. China is well placed as we move into the solution phase of the global climate work and hopefully we will see many concrete examples in Cancun as well as during 2011.

The author is global policy adviser to several leading companies and governments. He is also director of the UN Global Compact project “Low Carbon Leaders for transformative solutions"

Rio +20, "progress" since 1972 in Stockholm

As we are getting closer to Rio+20 (even if few seem to care about it) I could not resist to post the overview that I did after Johannesburg as I was frustrated that there was no solution perspective.

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1972
”A point has been reached in history when we must shape our actions throughout the world with a more prudent care for their environmental consequences. Through ignorance or indifference we can do massive and irreversible harm to the earthly environment on which our life and well-being depend. Conversely, through fuller knowledge and wiser action, we can achieve for ourselves and our posterity a better life in an environment more in keeping with human needs and hopes.”
United Nations Conference on the Human Environment Paragraph 6
Stockholm, 5 to 16 June, 1972

1992
”Humanity stands at a defining moment in history. We are confronted with a perpetuation of disparities between and within nations, a worsening of poverty, hunger, ill health and illiteracy, and the continuing deterioration of the ecosystems on which we depend for our well-being.”
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
Agenda 21, Chapter 1
Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992

1997
”We acknowledge that a number of positive results have been achieved, but we are deeply concerned that the overall trends with respect to sustainable development are worse today than they were in 1992. We emphasize that the implementation of Agenda 21 in a comprehensive manner remains vitally important and is more urgent now than ever.”
The Commission on Sustainable Development (Rio +5)
Statement of Commitment
New York, June 1997

2002
”The deep fault line that divides human society between the rich and the poor and the ever-increasing gap between the developed and developing worlds pose a major threat to global prosperity, security and stability. The global environment continues to suffer. Loss of biodiversity continues, fish stocks continue to be depleted, desertification claims more and more fertile land, the adverse effects of climate change are already evident, natural disasters are more frequent and more devastating and developing countries more vulnerable, and air, water and marine pollution continue to rob millions of a decent life.”
World Summit on Sustainable Development,
The Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development
Johannesburg, September, 2002

2012
????
Rio +20
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If they are honest the world's leaders will have to repeat the same message that they have given for more than 40 years now. Hopefully they will also provide a message regarding solutions this time... Today the solutions exist that can solve most of the challenges, we just need leadership and policy makers that don't listen to business leaders that cling to 20th century business models and see people as consumers.

Maybe a 100+ years old quote can inspire:

”You may accept this as the world of reality, you may consent to be one scar in an ill-dressed compound wound, but so - not I! This is a dream too - this world. Your dream, and you bring me back to it - out of Utopia.”
H.G Wells, A Modern Utopia, 1905

Meeting in Guadalajara to explore transformative low-carbon ICT solutions in the global climate negotiations

This is very interesting and I really look forward to this.

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Personal invitation

The Mexican government together with GeSI is convening a meeting the 8-9th of November 2010 in Guadalajara to explore how transformative low-carbon solutions can be supported in the global climate solutions. The host is the Government of Jalisco.

So far the ICT sector has not played a very visible role in the global climate negotiations, but a couple of things make COP16 in Cancun different:
1. Up until recently in the negotiations process the main focus was on the initial reductions agreed under the Kyoto protocol, about 5% reductions. It is now time to focus on solutions that can deliver significant reductions (for example 30% or more by 2020 in EU as being discussed by policy makers)
2. It is time to encourage more public private partnerships, and bring in the views of industry and various sectors and companies that can provide solutions to climate change, and not only focus on those with big emissions.
The ICT sector already delivers many solutions that help to significantly reduce emissions with 90% or more and that can contribute to a low-carbon economy. The meeting in Guadalajara is an important step to ensure that the ICT sector is an integrated part of the global climate discussions and that the solutions from the sectors are better understood and that knowledge about transformative solutions is shared in the global climate negotiations.

The outcome and recommendations of this meeting will be circulated to negotiating parties before COP16, and delivered at the CEO roundtable event on Dec 6.

We look forward to your participation in Guadalajara. Sincerely,

Rogelio Granguillhome
Assistant Secretary for Economic Relations and International Cooperation Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mexico
Mexico City, October 27, 2010

Gartner and WWF Assess Low-Carbon and Environmental Leadership in the ICT Industry 2010

I will put up the report the 25th of December here on my web, until there enjoy the press release and download the study from Gartner. The press release below and original press release is here

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Egham, UK, October 28, 2010

The results of an assessment of 28 global information and communication technology (ICT) providers by Gartner, Inc. and WWF Sweden revealed that the ICT industry sees climate change and sustainability as an emerging opportunity. While it identified the emergence of a group of market makers, the industry as a whole fell short of making climate change and sustainability part of its core business.

"2009 and 2010 have seen rapid progress in the maturity of ICT vendors both in terms of their internal environmental programs, and the development of a set of low-carbon market offerings," said Simon Mingay, research vice president at Gartner. "We now have a clear group of market makers formed by BT, IBM, Cisco, Ericsson, HP, Fujitsu, and SAP who we believe are beginning to build a distinguishing capability. However, at this stage they have not really taken the issues associated with climate change and sustainability into the core of the business and their strategies, and they continue to deal with it within the mindset of incremental improvement and short-termism."

Gartner and WWF invited 28 global ICT providers* to participate. Nineteen chose to participate by providing the required information. Those companies include: Accenture, Alcatel-Lucent, BT, CSC, Cisco, Dell, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Fujitsu, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, SAP, Sun Microsystems**, TCS, Verizon, Wipro and Xerox.

The survey, the second of its kind, examined ICT providers' commitment to managing the environmental aspects of their internal operations and their supply chain. Very importantly, it also explored their capabilities in advancing the low-carbon solutions markets and developing products and services that will help them and their customers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions or increase their energy efficiency.

"The good news is that we don't see anyone going backwards," said Mr. Mingay. "But, across every category*** there are clearly a group who are on the move and a group who seem to be treading water relatively." IBM, Fujitsu, HP, Cisco and BT ranked in the top five positions, while others such as Verizon and Lenovo did not score particularly well, and held the No. 19 and No. 17 spots, respectively. Mr. Mingay said Microsoft, ranked in the No. 13 position overall, is making reasonable progress, from a relatively weak starting point.

The survey revealed that service and software providers have improved their position from 2008, but remain relatively immature in terms of both their internal programs, as well as their market offerings. SAP, ranked No. 8 overall, did substantially better than any of the other large software and services organizations. SAP has put sustainability at the heart of its communications and closer to its strategy over the last 18 months. The survey also found that Fujitsu, ranked No. 2, is the only ICT provider to set a long-term context to its initiatives, and want to help reduce more emissions in society through low carbon IT solutions than their own emissions. Fujitsu has set itself a carbon reduction goal in terms of its impact on its customers versus a target related to their own emissions. Finally, ICT providers in Asia (not Japan) are still lagging overall, but making some dramatic improvements, which Gartner analysts anticipate will continue.

The dominance of talking in 2008, when Gartner and WWF Sweden completed their first assessment has evolved into much more action in 2009 and 2010. "We now have a number of ICT providers with an actual low carbon portfolio and a readiness to move from an incremental contribution into the center stage when it comes to providing society with low carbon solutions," said Magnus Emfel, director of Climate Program, WWF Sweden. "It is precisely this shift — from ICT as a minor contributor to global emissions to a major enabler of low-carbon solutions — that we need to see replicated in business strategies and urban planning, if we are to succeed in the transition to a low carbon economy and stabilize the climate."

The survey also found that inter-industry partnerships are starting to emerge, particularly from ICT providers including Cisco, Alcatel-Lucent and IBM. This is a very significant and important step in ICT's ability to develop commercially viable solutions for a low-carbon economy, particularly around smart grid, intelligent buildings and smart city infrastructures.

When looking at ICT's own impact, and the focus on the 2 percent of ICT's global CO2 emissions, it has become evident that hardware vendors, such as HP, Ericsson and Fujitsu are increasingly focused on the energy efficiency of their equipment and making it a core business, while for software and services organizations this is not the case. Very few vendors are thinking about dematerialization in any real systematic way, though Xerox is one of the few exceptions that is reusing and recycling parts.

Collectively the ICT industry has enhanced its game in terms of providing solutions in other areas, e.g. transport and buildings, to help reduce the 98 percent of global CO2 emissions that are not generated by ICT, but that can be reduced with the help of smart ICT.

"Although the leaders in the Carbon Delivery sections such as IBM, Fujitsu, HP, BT, Ericsson and Cisco have begun to build structural capabilities, governance, and allocated organizational resources to addressing the opportunities of a low-carbon economy, their commitment still falls short of being integrated into their core business," Mr. Mingay said.

Gartner's client interactions and analysis of the survey suggests this is due to a lack of spending on low-carbon and sustainability-related solutions by the public and private sectors, except in the area of smart grids, but also to the ICT sector's conservative approach built on incremental changes in existing technologies and capacity.

"We were surprised at the lack of disruptive innovation, with the majority of responses essentially focused on the incremental 'client-driven' development," said Dennis Pamlin, co-author and independent consultant working for WWF Sweden on this project. "If the ICT industry is to deliver on its promise of making a significant contribution to enabling a transformation to a low-carbon economy it is going to require substantially more than marginal incrementalism."

"No one is making any serious effort to extend the life of equipment beyond the basics one would expect of improving reliability and quality," said Mr. Mingay. "But, with the management of e-waste and rare earth metals rapidly turning into a substantial global challenge and the growth of emerging markets the industry needs to be giving much more serious thought to dematerialization, recycling and longevity."

Additional information is available in the research note "Summary Report: Low-Carbon and Environmental Leadership in the ICT Industry by Gartner and WWF, 2010." The report is available on Gartner's website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1456140.

Shaping Things, by Bruce Sterling

One of the unknown environmental activists of out time is Bruce Sterling. It frustrates me that he, and other people with a 21st Century perspective, is not given more room in the discussion about sustainability and climate change. He started the Viridian Design Movement in 1999 and closed it in 2008 http://www.viridiandesign.org/. I think there are good reasons to believe that people will look back 20 years from now and point at this, and other similar initiatives, as the start of the new generation of sustainability work. Shaping tings is a fun book that is well worth reading. It has the feeling of a teenager that look at the world with fresh eyes and was allowed the time to get the thoughts down on paper. The structure that is presented is interesting even if the different phases of humanities relation to things has been discussed in countless books. The design and connected economy present a new filter for the history, but any reader should be aware that the book is also shallow in a way that makes it more of a source for general inspiration and less helpful for those looking for concrete guidance.

Still the book is written in a way that could/should inspire a new generation of activists.

This time not biologists and bird watchers that saw that the consequences of industrialization and gave us books such as silent spring 30-40 years ago. That was the first generation of “environmentalists”. It also moves beyond the current generation, that is dominating the discussion today, who uses the language of the economists and lawyers (often without deeper knowledge of the disciplines) and focus how the current system can be tweaked. These people spend the time trying to put a price on nature (eco system services, etc) or argue that it is illegal/expensive to destroy nature from an anthropocentric perspective that use today’s economy as the reference. They give us CCS, a shift in current car fleets to biofuel and other dead-end solutions.

If the first generation wanted to “get back to nature” the second generation wants to see incremental solutions, such as CCS and biofuel for cars. Sterling is part of what I would like to call the third wave of environmentalists that take for granted the fact that our planet has limits and that changes are needed. This generation approach the challenge through the lens of 21st century technology and values.

The focus is on how things can be changed, not on the surface, but fundamentally as we move into a society of transformative transparency (I like to call it that, others prefer radical or ultimate transparency. Sterling talks about transparent production. It does not really matter as the focus is the same, a world where distance and time does not equal less information/understanding). Sterling use the more academic/older term: “ubiquitous computing” and describes the book as ” a speculation about “ubiquitous computing in the service of sustainability”.

It is “designers” that Sterling writes about, designers that make things “talk” and that allow for a new transparency. The fact that we are destroying the planet and treating people really bad should not result in an urge back to a simple society, but provide energy to create a society that can give everything value (not prize).

I was surprised to see that the book is from 2005. When reading it I got the feeling that was written mid 90:s, or earlier, but we live in a time of accelerated change and if Sterling would write the book today I think it would look quite different.

In parts it is the technology version of Bret Easton Ellis. It is fast, fun and without any clear ethical compass. It is homo ludens surrounded by high-tech, but with an understanding that how we treat the planet and each other are fundamentally wrong. Not just from a “biological” perspective, but from an esthetic. Our society are designing ugly things in the sense that we destroy beautiful things and creating irreversible damage.

When Sterling presents his response to an unsustainable society it is in the shape of the “SPIME” that “have the capacity to change the human relationship to time and material processes”. This is when the books becomes really interesting.

Much of the later part is spent to discuss the outline of a world with SPIME’s. It is nothing very concrete but a lot of inspirational snippets. I like these rough outlines as they are like a good abstract painting where your brain is starting to see patterns and thing about different applications without being “forced” in a specific direction by the writer.

In many ways the project transformative-applications is inspired by similar ideas, but with a focus on the “beyond the blur” aspect. With so much of the current economy and development investing in entertainment and the feeling of belonging/connectedness the need to support those who do something (I think these are a specific group of the “Wranglers” Sterling writes about)…

Maybe the one major thing missing in this book is a discussion about ethics, what are the underlying values that will dominate the connected economy and what are the sub-groups that will influence the development of the underlying infrastructure and direction of the connected society.

It is a short book and instead of the airport literature written by people that seem to have only one idea, read this and enjoy a book of a person that has too many for the 145 pages they are crammed into…

PS Please try to find a version without the layout I had. I have no idea what Lorraine Wild, who designed the book, wanted to say with this when I read the book, but it must be among the most ugly books I have read. I would have expected a person like Sterling to be a little more sensitive when it came to visual pollution. Even if her explanation (as an appendix to the book) makes the layout a bit easier to understand I got the same feeling as you get for ugly art that is done by an interesting person, it does not help…