Getting Mobile for Copenhagen
“Is everything well in the state of Denmark?”
My [deliberate] misquoting from Shakespeare’s Hamlet is perhaps apt given my absence from the blogosphere for the past several months, and the approaching climate change conference in Copenhagen (COP15).
The world’s focus is rapidly moving to this small country in the northern hemisphere as climate change policy makers prepare to seek agreement on targets to limit human contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. There is an expectation that these same policy makers will be ready and willing to lock in meaningful commitments to reduce these emissions within their own jurisdictions.
It’s also an opportunity for industries to have their say on how they’ll contribute to the range of solutions needed to reduce emissions. For example, more than 730 companies have voluntarily signed up to the Copenhagen Communiqué – a commitment by corporations to reduce emissions. Signatories are urging policy makers to forge an agreement for a global emissions cap and a long-term reduction pathway for all greenhouse gases, including interim targets. Telstra, along with several other global telcos are signatories.
One of the elements of the communiqué that caught my eye is the call to policy makers to acknowledge the importance of “enabling policies” for industries to make their contribution to the low-carbon economy (for example see the reports: Telstra initiatives & SMART 2020: Enabling the low carbon economy in the information age [PDF]).
The telecommunications industry is a low-carbon enabling industry. Look at mobiles. This sector has a relatively low-energy intensity, contributing much more to the economy than its proportion of national energy usage. For example, in Australia, the mobile industry is responsible for less than 0.3% of greenhouse gas emissions but delivers 3 to 4% of gross domestic product (GDP). It’s a similar story in the UK. But it’s not just the financial and social benefits this sector delivers. The sector, with its global reach of networks, is emerging centre stage as an enabler of smart technologies to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. In a future blog, I’ll share concrete initiatives on what the mobile sector is doing globally to deliver on this promise of contributing to emissions reduction.
In the meantime I’ll wait and see after the COP15 talks in December if the original Shakespeare quote was more appropriate. Hopefully I won’t be saying “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” and that our climate change policy makers did in fact set the scene for meaningful long-term emissions reduction targets…
Related Blogs & Posts:
- Barry Brook’s blog gives a credible scientist’s view on climate change. Joe Romm’s tracks the politics of climate change.
- Industry analysts are active in the green IT and low-carbon space with Doug Washburn (Forrester) on green IT and Jeremy Green’s (Ovum) insights on ICT and sustainable transport
- Tony Chan’s Green Telecom site brings together the latest stories on green ICT and telcos.
- Other related blogs I am following www.change2.net; seanwhetstone.blogspot.com; www.tomw.net.au; paulgilding.com.
- Individuals can have their concerns heard at Copenhagen too. Go to the “Hopehagen” site to sign up and have your say. Also take a look at the 1 Million Women Program.
Turlough
Noted your comments about mobile phones being a “low carbon enabling” tool.
Currently there are something like 3 billion of these devices in circulation world wide.
As a Telstra employee I am pleased to see us promoting a brand new phone that actually does something about making each device more environmentally friendly. We also had some fun making a video about it – check it out on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqywrmpeNFA
Looking forward to your thoughts after the COP15 talks!
For Copenhagen I believe unfortunately need to “maintain the rage”.
Except for indications that USA may be stepping up most countries need to get back into the game as many have left the field and standing on sidelines. Distracted by Global Financial Crisis’s commitment is slipping. We need to read Stern’s and Garner reports other economist’s view and see the current GFC will fade to the background if we do nothing. Their is not doubt when politicians get involved 60% is a victory as they never seem commit past one term so need to aim high and expect less.
Turlough,
I would love to know how these calculation wer made with regards to Mobiles Carbon footprint, As iI think most mobile base stations in Australia utilise power dirived from brown caol electricity and that each mobile device need to charged approx each day which derives the current from the same source. I think we should be looking towards possible mobile phones with a solar cell enbedded (some what like a calculator) where as charge could be added from a solar source rather that a brown coal source.
Glenn -
Thanks for your comments. Agree we need to maintain (or in some cases, start) the rage! Timing is probably not too bad with signs of the GFC grip starting to loosen. Good to see today that our Prime Minster says he is attending COP15 – let’s hope he can deliver on this issue in time for the conference……
Turlough
http://au.linkedin.com/in/turloughguerin
http://twitter.com/Turlough_Guerin
Thurlough,
I would like to see the data behind your bold claims about the utopian mobile industry. Does your comparison include the environmental impact of the one million mobile phones that are disposed of around the world every day? Does it take into account the fact that every bit of data send over a mobile network consumes more than twice as much energy as a bit of data sent over a fixed (ADSL or PON) network?
Turlough,
I note that you assert that in Australia the Mobile industry delivers 3-4% of Australia GDP. This assertion is based on figures provided by the Mobileactive.org website which in turn bases its figures on the World Bank ICT at a glance tables. It is unclear to me if the figures quoted of 3-4% of Australia GDP refer to Mobile revenues only as you imply or to the much wider Telecommunications revenues which include Fixed line and other comunications revenues. It will be interesting to confirm if this data is correct.
My second point is that while mobile phone and data use can deliver carbon-savings through behaviour change and overall efficieny improvements, they can affect our environment in other profound ways. Commercial policies that promote the rapid upgrade and quick replacement of mobile phones affect the environment and social spheres in many ways such as E-Waste, natural resources consumption (see the effects of the demand of Coltan in the Congo) and the human costs of being interconnected in a 24×7 capacity. A relatively late development that we do not yet fully understand and are unclear about the social consecuences. We seem to only talk about the positives without considering the other side of the ledger.
Regards,
Daniel Sacchero
Alan
Great job on the advert.
Turlough
http://au.linkedin.com/in/turloughguerin
http://twitter.com/Turlough_Guerin
Bill -
Thanks for your comment. Most mobile sites in Australia do use coal-fired power. In Vic all on grid base stations will use brown coal – the other states use black coal and or gas for base load power. There are some sites that are powered to some extent with solar power – in our case these ones are off-grid. As an FYI, we generated 3.7 MW of renewable power which was used to power our network equipment.
I like your idea of a solar powered mobile phone. Did you know you can already buy solar powered chargers for mobile phones?
Cheers
Turlough
http://au.linkedin.com/in/turloughguerin
http://twitter.com/Turlough_Guerin
Agreed the GFC has rather derailed the more important Global Environment focus. To keep pressure on business and government, we as individuals need to keep discussing and demonstrating our interest in the issues. A Concerning example – I recently happened upon a reception held in a public area of the Beach Hotel Byron Bay, for some of our Vic fire fighters and Police service men and women who were running from North Queensland to Vic to raise awareness of the prevailing and forecast global climate issues. There were scentists and environmentalists presenting important information about climate change, 3 key sponsors and 20 or so of the runners. The event attracted only 3 people as their audience while approximately 400 other patrons ignored the entire procedings! We all need to step up!!
FYI these runners will complete their journey at St Kilda Sea Baths on Sunday 29th at around 3.00 – so let’s all show them some support and DEMONSTRATE to “the powers that be” that people do actually care.
On another topic, mobile phone technology is wonderful, however an effective system for disposing of them and battery chargers etc needs to be established and clearly publicised -especially when we are encouraged to upgrade at least every two years.
Thanks for your note Karen – hopefully there will be something positive to report!
I was listening to Al Gore in an interview and his attitude to coal powered power plants is NIL. I just Googled the topic and he is not mincing words, it appears we are doomed even considering coal as a fuel source, [and in doing so sabotaging the rest of the world's efforts to start the clean power revolution.] (my words)
I so wish Australia could get our head out of the clouds and instead of playing with Technology, and its Toys use it in a wise way.
A scarey bit of information came my way watching T.V. (Andrew Denton ABC 1 – Alan Alda ) A “Species in general lives two million years, we have a few hundred thousand years under our belt, will we continue, things happen, we are not supreme beings just a species with a finite life span upon this planet” (paraphrased, and maybe misquoted, but essence retained)
Once the finity of our stay here is realised these Tech Toys aren’t going to be nearly as much fun.
Al Gore: “Clean Coal’s Like Healthy Cigarettes”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4-jpOq3ytU
http://www.theage.com.au/world/clean-coal-not-the-answer-gore-20091105-hz4k.html
” …A day after The Age revealed plans by the Brumby Government to gamble on “clean coal” technology in Victoria, Mr Gore expressed serious doubt about its viability and said Australia’s focus should instead be on renewable energy.
“I think a country like Australia probably has more usable and profitable sources of renewable energy than any other nation,” Mr Gore said in an interview with The Age.”
Turlough
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the results from Copenhagen.
Cheers Camilla
Thanks Amanda – agree that’s a sad situation. What will get people to listen? I guess different messages for different audiences.
We do have MobileMuster – its one of the best collection pragrams for the industry globally. Sounds like you havent seen much of it though. There are collection facilities in most stores and you can even mail your old phone into a collection depot: http://www.mobilemuster.com.au
Turlough
http://au.linkedin.com/in/turloughguerin
http://twitter.com/Turlough_Guerin
Hi Rod -
Good questions.
“I would like to see the data behind your bold claims about the utopian mobile industry. Does your comparison include the environmental impact of the one million mobile phones that are disposed of around the world every day?”
No, I have based my comparison on operational emissions (not emissions embedded in the phone, network etc.).
“Does it take into account the fact that every bit of data send over a mobile network consumes more than twice as much energy as a bit of data sent over a fixed (ADSL or PON) network?”
This is an interesting point. However, I haven’t made a comparison of fixed vs mobile telecoms. Note that 0.3% of national emissions is an estimate of total telecom emissions (fixed + mobile) hence why I stated less than 0.3% because the mobiles sector is a sub-sector of integrated telecommunications.
Turlough
http://au.linkedin.com/in/turloughguerin
http://twitter.com/Turlough_Guerin
So where to from here… apart from an angry PM and a doubting constituency?