assessing the environmental impact of <strong>ICTs</strong>, which are currently being developed by the International Tele<strong>communication</strong> Union (<strong>ITU</strong>) in collaboration with forty organisations, <strong>and</strong> in line with the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The mitigation report concludes by addressing the role of policy makers <strong>and</strong> regulators in reducing GHG emissions in Ghana, integrating examples from both developed <strong>and</strong> developing countries to illustrate the importance of robust regulatory design <strong>and</strong> leadership towards e-enabled mitigation. The suggestions provided in both reports refer to strategic actions that Ghana, as well as other developing nations, can undertake to better adapt to the impacts of climate change <strong>and</strong> reduce carbon emissions with the support of <strong>ICTs</strong>. These suggestions include the pivotal role <strong>and</strong> contribution of specialised agencies <strong>and</strong> international institutions working in the ICT <strong>and</strong> climate change field. <strong>Information</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>communication</strong> are among the most critical components of effective climate change responses. The high diffusion of <strong>ICTs</strong> is increasingly translating into new approaches to cope <strong>and</strong> adapt to climatic impacts, <strong>and</strong> mitigate carbon emissions. The report suggests that <strong>ICTs</strong> are playing an increasing role in predicting, identifying <strong>and</strong> measuring the impacts of climate change in developing contexts such as Ghana, <strong>and</strong> can be key enablers of change <strong>and</strong> adaptation in vulnerable sectors such as cocoa production, forestry <strong>and</strong> infrastructure. It also suggests that <strong>ICTs</strong> can help to reduce GHG emissions in a variety of sectors, <strong>and</strong> can contribute to make broadb<strong>and</strong> infrastructure broadly available in countries such as Ghana, without adding to carbon emissions. From innovative SMS-based early warning systems aimed at delivering more effectively weather alerts, to computer training provided to women <strong>and</strong> youth to strengthen local livelihoods, or radios used to raise awareness on sustainable practices in marginalized areas, <strong>ICTs</strong> pose unprecedented opportunities for developing countries to overcome the challenges posed by climate change. The experience of Ghana indicates that <strong>ICTs</strong> are enabling new ways to access, use <strong>and</strong> disseminate climatic knowledge <strong>and</strong> information among a broad range of stakeholders, to coordinate efforts, <strong>and</strong> to implement new mechanisms for energy efficiency. Ghana’s experience also suggests that the capacity of developing countries to mitigate <strong>and</strong> adapt to climate change impacts relies heavily on informed decision-making processes, access to locally appropriate information, <strong>and</strong> the availability of an enabling environment (including skills, resources, st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>and</strong> regulatory frameworks) necessary to translate ICT’s potential into more resilient, environmentally sustainable, green-growth practices. Strong political leadership <strong>and</strong> commitment, active multi-stakeholder participation, <strong>and</strong> close collaboration among specialised national agencies <strong>and</strong> international organisations, such as the <strong>ITU</strong> <strong>and</strong> UNFCCC, play a crucial role in this process. While challenges still remain, it is evident that ICT’s potential is increasingly valuable within developing countries who are at the forefront of climatic impacts <strong>and</strong> uncertainty. As the report evidences, developing country experiences such as Ghana’s can yield valuable lessons in this field, enabling new adaptive paths <strong>and</strong> ICT-enabled approaches to overcome the challenges, <strong>and</strong> benefit from the opportunities posed by the changing climate. By exploring the linkages between <strong>ICTs</strong>, climate change adaptation <strong>and</strong> mitigation, it is expected that this report contributes to a better underst<strong>and</strong>ing of ICT’s role in this field. This report is part of the activities of <strong>ITU</strong>’s Tele<strong>communication</strong> St<strong>and</strong>ardization Sector (<strong>ITU</strong>-T) on ICT <strong>and</strong> Climate Change, <strong>and</strong> has been commissioned by <strong>ITU</strong> <strong>and</strong> UNFCCC in support of the United Nations General xii
Assembly’s resolution 65/151, which designates 2012 as the “International Year for Sustainable Energy for All”. The report was also developed in preparation for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20 held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 20-22, 2012. Thus, it is hoped that the suggestions provided in this document foster the adoption of concrete actions by developing countries towards the integration of <strong>ICTs</strong> into more sustainable development paths in line with Rio+20 goals. xiii
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