Swedes set out plans to use IT for the environment
How to achieve an environmentally appropriate information society by 2020 is the subject of the new report from the Swedish Government. Sweden already has a strong reputation in information technologies (IT), and in 2003 the government set up an IT Policy Strategy Group to provide advice to the Government and be a driving force in achieving the goal of an information society for all. In drawing up its report on IT and the environment, the group drew heavily on the results of the EU project 'The Future Impact of ICT on Environmental Sustainability' to identify the environmentally most interesting applications. The report focuses on three areas where IT has the potential to make a big difference environmentally: transport and travel; construction and housing; and the environmental impact of IT products themselves. On transport, the authors note that Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) could make route planning and logistics more efficient, and the market for ITS is expected to grow seven-fold between 2000 and 2010. However, currently a lack of standardisation in ITS is holding back its use in the transport industry. 'The government should devote further funds for research and development of ITS in close cooperation with the transport sector, in order to develop competitive and usable systems that contribute to a reduction in environmental impact from the transport sector,' the report states. The authors also recommend that the government set up a working group made up of researchers and industry to ensure the interoperability of different systems. The technologies required to make a building 'intelligent', for example through the control of lighting, heating, water and ventilation, already exist, yet these technologies are currently not widely used. The Swedish government has already allocated SEK 30 million (€3.2 million) to a research programme for energy, IT and design, which aims to influence energy use by households. Furthermore, the Bill on Research and New Technology for Future Energy Systems lays down the guidelines for future research and development activities in the energy and construction area. Regarding the impact of IT products themselves on the environment, the report praises the efforts of companies that are already working to reduce their products' environmental impact. The report also highlights IT's potential to lead to dematerialisation, for example through distance learning courses which reduce travel time, and the use of physical resources, or the use of remote diagnosis to monitor the health of people in their homes, instead of forcing them to travel to a clinic. A common thread running throughout the report is the public sector in Sweden, setting an example by its own actions and procurement policies. Looking to the future, the report also recommends that Sweden make these issues a priority of its Presidency of the EU, which will take place during the second half of 2009. The report points out that there are interesting cases at the EU level where a range of stakeholders have jointly formulated goals on the potential of IT to reduce environmental impacts. These include a goal to cut CO2 emissions by 50 million tonnes a year by 2010 through the use of IT solutions such as virtual meetings and flexible working. 'Goals and results of this kind can be very interesting matters to pursue during Sweden's Presidency of the EU in 2009,' the authors write.
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