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Usage of ICT in other sectors can also facilitate that
sector to be more environmentally friendly. According
to Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) in their
#SMARTer2030 report
15
, ICT can decrease global carbon
emissions, stimulate economic growth and deliver
benefits to society as shown in Figure 11. The report
also highlighted that as ICT become faster, cheaper
and more accessible globally, its potential to generate
powerful environmental, economic and social benefits
is beyond what GeSI envisioned. “Our findings show an
ICT-enabled world that is cleaner, healthier and more
prosperous, with greater opportunities for individuals
everywhere.”
Furthermore, #SMARTer2030 research indicated
that ICT sector’s emissions ‘footprint’ is expected to
decrease to 1.97% of global emissions by 2030, compared
to 2.3% in 2020. On top of that, their modelling shows
that by 2030, the 12Gt CO2e avoided through the use
of ICT solutions is nearly ten times greater than the
emissions generated by deploying it (Figure 12). This
is significant proof that ICT can be an enabler for
sustainable development.
ICT
underlying
technologies,
including mobile broadband, Internet
of Things (IoT), advanced robotics,
artificial
intelligence,
big
data
and cloud computing, will be the
essential infrastructure platform for
implementing the SDGs. They have
the potential to drive disruptive and
transformative changes across every
sector of society.
The most notable driver for ICT
application is mobile broadband.
According to Measuring the Information
Society Report (MISR) 2015
16
, there
have been a substantial growth in global
access to and use of ICTs, particularly
where mobile services and the Internet
are concerned. Mobile cellular networks now cover over
95 percent of the world’s global population, while the
number of mobile-cellular subscriptions has risen from
2.2 billion in 2005 to an estimated 7.1 billion in 2015.
There is also noticeable growth in the number
of mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide, from
0.8 billion in 2010 to an estimated 3.5 billion in 2015.
However, the number of fixed-broadband subscriptions
has risen much more slowly to an estimated 0.8 billion
today. The number of Internet users has also grown
rapidly, and is now estimated at over 40% of the world’s
population (Figure 13).
Access to broadband and mobile broadband support
the provision of basic needs such as education and
healthcare, helping to lift people out of poverty through
e-commerce and job growth, monitoring climate change
and planetary processes, and bridging the digital gender
divide. These are indications that broadband connection
is vital to achieving the SDGs
17
.
IoT is another technology that will evolve the role of
ICTs in the SDG era (2016 - 2030). The ITU has defined
the IoT as “a global infrastructure for the
information society, enabling advanced
services by interconnecting (physical
and virtual) things based on existing and
evolving interoperable information and
communication technologies”
18
Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General
stated that “The Internet of Things is not
a single, unified network of connected
devices, but rather a set of different
technologies which can be put to work in
coordination together at the service and
to the ultimate benefit of people in both
developed and developing economies.
This set of Internet of Things technologies
is realising a vision of a miniaturised,
Figure 11: #SMARTer2030 main findings
Source: #SMARTer2030: ICT Solutions for 21st Century Challenges 2015, GeSI
Figure 12: ICT benefits factor in 2020 and 2030 (Gt CO2e)
Source: #SMARTer2030: ICT Solutions for 21st Century Challenges 2015, GeSI
15 #SMARTer2030: ICT Solutions for 21st Century Challenges 2015, GeSI
16 Measuring the Information Society Report 2015, ITU
17 The State of Broadband 2016: Broadband Catalyzing Sustainable Development, UN Broadband Commission
18 Recommendation ITU-T Y.2060, ITU
10