Countdown to Copenhagen

By Lorie Wigle, President
Climate Savers Computing Initiative

Tomorrow, I will be heading to the historic United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen (COP15). This conference will bring together negotiators from 192 countries to address global economic and humanitarian challenges and work toward a treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

Many Climate Savers Computing members are sending representatives to participate and engage in the global dialogue about the threat of climate change. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to attend COP15 and to represent Climate Savers Computing as the industry discusses how advances in technology, and specifically computing, can be part of the solution in combating climate change.

I will be attending several events throughout the week that will address technology and energy use, including how energy efficiency is being deployed in the market. The first is the IDC press conference on Dec. 10, where the ICT Sustainability Index will be released. This report reviews and scores a country’s ability to use information and communications technologies (ICT) to effectively reduce its CO2 emissions. Several Climate Savers Computing member companies will be part of a presenter’s panel, including Fujitsu, Hitachi, Intel and HP.

The WWF Arctic Tent at COP15 will highlight impacts to the Arctic region and display this theme in different ways each day during the conference. Climate Savers Computing will be featured in the WWF Climate Savers booth within the Arctic Tent during the “Business Day.” There will also be a WWF CEO breakfast that will bring together CEOs from around the world interested in discussing global solutions.

Lastly, I will be presenting at a press conference and panel discussion focused on how ICT can have an impact on the environment, which will allow me to highlight the role of Climate Savers Computing in this arena and how we’re moving towards our goals.

I’m looking forward to representing Climate Savers Computing at COP15. This global event may be the first time so many stakeholders from our industry are all in one place. There is more to come; and I’ll be posting updates from these events with some photos next week.

Stay tuned.