1. Leveraging Broadband to create a more sustainable planet
Leveraging Broadband to create a more sustainable planet
Ulf Wahlberg
Vice President, VP Industry and Research Relations
Ericsson Group

2. Sustainability becoming business critical
Leveraging Broadband to create a more sustainable planet
Sustainability becoming business critical
Financial Crisis – With the current economic crisis, OpEX and CAPEX are in focus. Energy drives competitiveness in our industry. Our industry is also an engine for growth. the US Government Senate Appropriations Committee recently noted that for every 1 dollar invested in broadband, there is a ten dollar payback to the economy.
Global Policy – in late 2009, governments of the world will meet to renegotiate climate treaties. So far ICT not in a leading policy position. Our industry needs to change that.
Public opinion – consumers are increasingly aware and concerned about the state of the planet. Social networking
The global reality is that the climate is changing. Income disparities between the rich and the poor are increasing. There is an acute food crisis which is worsened by the economic crisis. Global health issues including child mortality, maternal health and combating infectious disease are off track. According to the UN, Sept 2008, Even before the recent dramatic increase in food, grain and commodity prices, there were over 800 million hungry people in the world. Now, the sustained rise in food prices is expected to
increase the number of poor and hungry people by at least another 100 million. This creates a host of political and security problems.
These four issues are not mutually exclusive, but rather interdependent. The ICT sector has a unique and critical role to play in addressing all of these areas, and it is one of the only sectors not in a current crisis.
So whether or not you are a sustainability advocate, these issues are on the top level agenda in every company and in every sector.
Financial crisis
Global policy
Public opinion
Climate, health
& poverty realities
ICT and telecom play a key role

3. Broadband has positive effects on the environment and the economy
Smart use of ICT can offset global CO2 emissions by 15% by 2020
1% increase in broadband penetration can increase employment by % per year (US)

4. Understanding ICT’s carbon footprint
Leveraging Broadband to create a more sustainable planet
Understanding ICT’s carbon footprint
ICT responsible for 2% of global CO2 emissions
Mobile telecom is only about 0.2% of CO2 and fixed 0.4%
How can we reduce our own emissions?
ICT key to reduce the other 98% of CO2 emissions
The enabling effect
How can we reduce other sector emissions and support a carbon lean economy?

5. Sustainability potential of ICT
Annual
Emissions
Virtual presence
Smart transport
Facility mgmt
Monitor & control
Digital society
Smart work
Smart grids
Connected home
ICT can help reduce
emissions 15-35%
ICT accounts for ~ 2%
~50% reduction, while
the world’s GDP triples
1800
1850
1900
1950
2000
2050