FIRST MEETING, 4 DECEMBER 2008 AT IGF HYDERABAD, INDIA
The Dynamic Coalition on Internet and Climate Change (DCICC) was launched at the second IGF in Rio in 2007. The DCICC held its first physical meeting on 4 December at the third IGF in Hyderabad, India. The meeting was facilitated by Arthur Levin of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The founding members of the DCICC are: ITU (International Telecommunication Union), GeSI (Global e-Sustainability Initiative), MIC (Minster of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan), BT (British Telecom), Deutsche Telekom and IISD (International Institute for Sustainable Development).
New Members of the DCICC are: OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), Daisy Consortium, CAST (China Association for Science and Technology), Nepal Wireless, Tama University Japan, CSDMS (Center for Science, Development and Media Studies), Wipro Technologies, CTO (Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization).
The meeting heard presentations from ITU, MIC, Canarie and GeSI on their respective activities and views on climate change. Earlier in the day, ITU had organized a workshop on Internet and Climate Change, which was attended by many DCICC members.
The following points were made in the discussion on climate change:
· The need to raise awareness among governments on the importance of ICTS in addressing CC, particularly the need to engage them in the context of the ongoing UN negotiations
· The IGF should devote more attention to the issue of CC
· The impact of climate change on developing countries, in particular adaptation strategies, is of critical importance
· The importance of raising consumer awareness of the impact of their ICT use on climate change
· The importance of lifecycle analysis in examining the relation between ICTs and climate change
· The need for better tools for consumers and the private sector to measure and assess the impact of ICT use on CC and in particular ways in which ICTs can be used to reduce GHG emission in other sectors
· The utility of different carbon offset mechanisms
OBJECTIVES AND MAIN ACTIVITIES
There was a general discussion of the mandate and activities of the DCICC on the basis of a draft Terms of Reference that had been circulated in advance. As a way forward, it was generally concluded that key activities would include:
- ITU will prepare a report of the meeting; each member of the Coalition will submit a paragraph on its main CC activities as part of the report
- Members will submit further ideas and suggestions on means to sensitize governments on the relation between ICTs and CC
- Members that have not done so will consider contributing to the ITU Focus Group on Climate Change, which is a body open to all
- ITU will prepare and circulate for agreement a draft statement to IGF on the need to give more prominence to the issue of CC in future proceedings
- The DCICC will meet physically at IGF meetings and will consider other meetings in conjunction with planned activities, but will work in the main in a virtual manner
LOGISTICS
ITU will maintain the website for the Coalition. (http://www.itu.int/themes/climate/dc/index.html) The website will include:
- Resource materials and reports furnished by members
- A calendar of major meetings on ICT and CC
- Reports of the Coalition
- Information on how to join the Coalition
ITU will establish an e-mail exploder for the Coalition as a means of contact and communication.