The role of ICT in reducing carbon emissions in the EU

The role of ICT in reducing carbon emissions in the EU - May 2016
– Encouraging improved technological innovation
to drive greater energy efficiency targets and
performance
– Encouraging high levels of innovation in business
models, job markets, and the wider economy.
This level of innovation can help encourage the
development of new business models which support
the circular economy and
– Targeting the agreed 40% reduction by 2030, whilst
including clauses and areas of flexibility to allow for
increases in interim or 2030 targets
• Develop a comprehensive yet flexible ‘de-carbonisation’
roadmap to deliver the EU’s carbon reduction and
energy efficiency targets, including actions to be taken
and a timeline, ultimately designed to work towards
carbon neutrality by 2050
• Communicate the framework and roadmap to
country-level leadership and targeted industry
sectors, and to the population more broadly
• Look for synergistic opportunities to leverage ICT for
carbon, economic and socio-economic benefits, e.g.
cross-border interconnectors to support distributed
renewable energy generation.
National governments should work closely with
EU leaders and policy makers, as well as their local
constituents, to look to achieve the potential offered by
ICT. National governments can use the findings from this
report, and other similar pieces of work, to determine
which sectors should be the main focus for carbon
reduction plans, and ICT-specific interventions to enable
significant carbon reductions and economic benefits.
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