[CAnet - news] The Inefficient Truth - ICT carbon emission to surpass Aviation Industry

For more information on this item please visit my blog at 
http://green-broadband.blogspot.com/ or http://billstarnaud.blogspot.com
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http://www.globalactionplan.org.uk/event_detail.aspx?eid=ef0cecc6-2621-4a3c-
962c-e4758b8952f8
[Here is further information on the Sky report on the fact that ICT carbon
emissions are exceeding those of the aircraft industry-- BSA]

http://www.globalactionplan.org.uk/event_detail.aspx?eid=ef0cecc6-2621-4a3c-
962c-e4758b8952f8


The 'Inefficient Truth'

Inefficient ICT Sector's Carbon Emissions set to Surpass Aviation Industry

An Inefficient Truth is the first research report produced by Global Action
Plan on behalf of the Environmental IT Leadership Team.  The Leadership Team
is a unique gathering of major ICT users from a range of different sectors
who are committed to taking practical action to cut carbon dioxide
emissions. 

The report contains four sections. 

   1. The first section assesses the environmental impact of the ICT sector
which is virtually the equivalent of the aviation industry.  
   2. Section two analyses survey results from major ICT users and discovers
how quickly and effectively the sector is responding to the environmental
agenda.  
   3. The third section takes a snapshot look at some case studies
illustrating how companies are implementing practical solutions that are
reducing carbon emissions and saving them money.
   4. Finally, there is a Call to Action from Global Action Plan setting out
some of the challenges facing Government, vendors and users in order to move
the sector towards a lower carbon future. 

An Inefficient Truth is the first part of a longer journey which will see
Global Action Plan using its position as an independent practical
environmental charity to help cut carbon emissions from the ICT sector.

The environmental charity Global Action Plan today calls on the UK
government to introduce legislation and tax incentives to support the
adoption of sustainable ICT policies and strategy in British businesses. 

The report includes a national survey that is the first to measure awareness
between the use of ICT in business and its contribution to the UK's carbon
footprint; identify the proportion of companies seeking energy efficient
strategies; and to promote examples of best practice.

Key findings in the report include:

    * 61% of UK data centres only have the capacity for two years of growth.
    * 37% of companies are storing data indefinitely due to government
policy.
    * Nearly 40% of servers are underutilised by more than 50%.
    * 80% of respondents do not believe their company's data policies are
environmentally sustainable.

Trewin Restorick, director of Global Action Plan and chair of the EILT,
comments, "ICT equipment currently accounts for 3-4% of the world's carbon
emissions, and 10% of the UK's energy bill. The average server, for example,
has roughly the same annual carbon footprint as an SUV doing 15
miles-per-gallon! With a carbon footprint now equal to the aviation
industry, ICT, and how businesses utilise ICT, will increasingly come under
the spotlight as governments seek to achieve carbon-cutting commitments." 

The survey, which was completed by CIOs, IT directors and senior decision
makers from 120 UK enterprises, found that over 60% of respondents consider
time pressures and cost the biggest barriers to adopting sustainable ICT
policies, and believe that recognised standards and tax allowances would
provide the most valuable support towards reducing ICT's contribution to the
UK's carbon emissions.

Restorick adds, "The survey illustrates that ICT departments have been slow
off the mark to address their carbon footprint. Awareness is now growing but
to turn this into action, ICT departments need help. They need vendors to
give them better information rather than selling green froth, they need
Government policies to become more supportive and less contradictory, and
they need more support from within their organisations."

Logicalis, international ICT provider and sponsors of 'An Inefficient
Truth', agrees that legislation and tax incentives are important, but, first
and foremost, businesses must evaluate the efficiency of existing ICT
infrastructure, citing server under-utilisation and the data centre as prime
examples of energy abuse. Tom Kelly, managing director for Logicalis UK,
comments:

"The government's draft climate change bill proposes a 60% cut in emissions
by 2050. In this environment, a flabby business that guzzles budget and
energy is likely to be a prime target for impending legislation.

"CIOs have a responsibility to ensure their ICT infrastructure can support a
lean and dynamic business, yet as this survey demonstrates, many ICT
departments are unsure if and how they can maximise their existing assets.
With data centre capacity at a premium, and energy bills escalating, CIOs
are well advised to look inward for energy saving initiatives and to
instigate cultural change throughout the business. In short, efficient IT
equals green IT."

As a result of the survey Global Action Plan is calling on ICT vendors and
the government to provide businesses with the support and tools to implement
ICT best practice.  These demands include:

    * Government to provide incentives to help companies reduce the carbon
footprint of their IT activities
    * Government to ensure that there is a sufficient supply of energy for
data centre needs in the future
    * Government to review its policies on long-term data storage to take
into account the carbon implications
    * ICT vendors to significantly improve the quality of their
environmental information
    * ICT departments to be accountable for the energy costs of running and
cooling ICT equipment
    * Companies to ensure ICT departments are fully engaged in their CSR and
environmental policies
    * Companies to ensure that their ICT infrastructure meets stricter
efficiency targets

Gary Hird, Technical Strategy Manager for John Lewis Partnership and member
of the EILT comments: "Green Computing is an opportunity for us all to
clearly demonstrate IT's value in helping our companies tackle an urgent,
and global, issue. It is vital that we do a good job collectively and that
means being open about the specific problems we're facing and the solutions
we're pursuing. The Global Action Plan survey provides a 'current state'
understanding of companies' green IT initiatives and the obstacles we must
overcome to help them succeed."

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those  of the CANARIE board or management.



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