Posted by Juliette Terzieff

Technology has already changed the way people around the world communicate with one another and reshaping global economic systems to reflect a more modern approach is the next great opportunity of the 21st century, Carbon Disclosure Project says in a new report. The Internet and ICT tools can help erase challenges associated with time, distance and infrastructure, the group argues, while simultaneously aiding in the global battle against climate change.

CDP’s report, “Building a 21st Century Communication Economy,” lays out a vision for how future economic systems might look – taking what might have looked like something out of John Wyndham novel 25 years ago and laying out a solid case for a realistic expansion of technological capabilities to promote prosperity and sustainability to carry the world into the centuries to come.

CDP’s vision of a communications economy is simple enough – a reality where “economic value will increasingly reside in bits and bytes, rather than in the atoms and molecules of products and

commodities. In the future, economic opportunity will no longer be limited by time, distance, resource constraints or geography.”

A communications economy increases opportunity for growth drawing the most benefit from less intense use of fossil fuels through technology. It also promotes global security by reducing competition for natural resources, and provides individuals with a more equitable arena for economic growth. CDP Founder Paul Dickinson delivered his vision of a communications economy during this presentation at Webster University.

For example, telepresence solutions are already gaining popularity with private sector players across the globe, with major ICT companies forming partnerships to expand services and major brand names in other sectors, like Sheraton in the hospitality industry, also moving to offer their clientele telepresence meeting options.  The use of telepresence  – which allows users to simulate a meeting room by connecting participants across multiple locations simultaneously via high-tech video and audio connections – cuts business operating costs and travel-related emissions, and promotes energy efficiency.

“The communications economy can take hold across sectors. We have seen that Webster University can provide a top quality education to students around the world through their online learning platform. It provides all the benefits of a physical course with added flexibility,” the CDP’s Rosie Reeve explains. “In healthcare people who live in more rural locations can have a consultation with a specialist without making a three hour journey to their nearest city.  Finally, any business irrespective of their sector can start to increase their net income per unit carbon emitted by adopting broadband enabled efficiency strategies.”

So what is the first step to achieving the vision of a communications economy? Access.

In order for the vision of a communications economy to become a reality, individuals, societies and all the actors within them need access to available ICT tools. United Nations officials have already tagged access to the Internet as a human right associated with freedom of expression and free opinion, and have called on governments around the world to promote uncensored access. The world body is also working as part of a variety of multi-stakeholder efforts to achieve universal broadband access as a way to further development goals and facilitate social change.

The proliferation of broadband access, the CDP notes, can help decrease carbon gas emissions and the use of finite natural resources by reducing the need for travel and products that are resource-intensive to manufacture.

The U.S., the report notes, is well positioned to be a leader in making the shift to a communications economy. Already the ICT sector has proven its ability to outpace others sectors in job growth and produce a significantly higher net income per metric ton of carbon than other industries like consumer staples and transportation. The Climate Group’s Smart 2020 report, also cited by the CDP, shows how the ICT sector could help the U.S. reduce annual emissions by as much as 22 percent.

“The U.S. is already in the forefront in critical areas of broadband communications, led by companies including Apple, AT&T, Cisco and Microsoft. The fact that natural resources, especially oil, are more expensive and harder to access brings us to a critical decision point – a crossroads.  The U.S. can either continue business as usual, or the country can invest in building an advanced communications network, creating more jobs and economic growth, as it lowers [greenhouse gas] emissions,” says Reeve.

A massive 95 percent of the U.S. population lives in areas with access to broadband services but significant gaps remain. Nine percent of rural U.S. businesses still lack broadband access, as compared to less than 1 percent for urban enterprises. The U.S. congress allotted $7.2 billion for broadband planning and development in 2009 to look at improving speeds and access.

Other governments have already taken steps towards developing a communications economy, Reeve explains.

“The Republic of Korea has taken a very proactive approach to building communications networks and this has helped it to continue its impressive economic growth. Other countries that have robust and extensive networks include Singapore, the Netherlands and Denmark – all of whom have high levels of broadband penetration.”

From crisis mapping and mobile health applications, to telepresence and social networks, stakeholders from across the spectrum are throwing their support behind efforts to expand the application of ICT tools in new ways – integrating technological capabilities into existing systems, changing them to maximize efficiency and access. It’s an evolutionary process that will alter the way health care, humanitarian aid, disaster response and other systems operate as the world moves further into the 21^st century.

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