The low carbon work with Novozymes is now launched

Really look forward to this. Download the folder here and below is the press release:

Search on for best climate biosolutions

WWF points out that the over-exploitation of fossil fuels - such as coal, gas and oil - is putting the whole of humanity under threat from climate change.

25 Mar 2009
Global environment organization WWF and leading enzyme biotechnology company Novozymes today announced an initiative which will map how and where low carbon biosolutions can eliminate the first strategic billion tonnes of CO2.

“Low carbon biotech solutions are a good example of hidden or invisible climate solutions that are all around us already today but are easily overlooked by policymakers, investors and companies,” said Kim Carstensen, Director of WWF’s Global Climate Initiative.

The biotechnology industry is an important part of the climate solutions the world is in need of because the emissions reductions secured by biotech solutions are factors of magnitude greater than the emissions involved in creating them. Enzymes, for instance, save large amounts of energy when applied to the production of a variety of every day products, such as paper, washing powder and bioethanol.

Last year, Novozymes emitted about one million tonnes of CO2 eq in the production of raw materials and enzymes but helped eliminate around 28 million tonnes of CO2 eq emissions over enzyme free production.

“What we offer our customers is to produce more from less input, use less energy in their processes and generate less waste,” said Steen Riisgaard, CEO of Novozymes.

“Clearly, biotechnology is therefore an important route to securing big emissions cuts while creating succesful business models.”

With only a small portion of the potential of biotech so far realized, the joint Biosolutions Initiative – Eliminating the first billion tonnes of CO2 will seek out key and priority areas where biotechnology solutions can be applied to achieve emissions cuts.

Low carbon winners of future need support now

The partnership will also engage in dialogue with central policy makers and create low carbon business partnerships to ensure that low carbon bio tech solutions become an integrated part of all major climate projects and initiatives.

“So far, the main effort to combat climate change has focused on reducing the negative impact of the big emmitters,” said Carstensen. “While important, this neither secures all the reductions needed nor does it provide a sustainable economic model for creating jobs, growth and a prosperous society.”

The project aims to contribute to accelerating and exploring the further potential of biotechnology as a crucial part of overall climate solutions.

“Fighting climate change is also about innovation and finding smarter ways to do things, and biotechnology helps us do just that,” said Carstensen.

The project will also identify how to best deploy emerging bio-solutions .

In order to unlock the full potential of biotechnology, policy makers need to integrate low carbon biotech solutions as part of all major climate strategies," said Riisgaard.

"Together with WWF we want to inspire decision makers in building low carbon solutions for our society."

PRESS RELEASE : WWF STUDIES FIND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES CLIMATE IMPACTS, COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS

Here is a press release for two reports at the same time. Will post both here later with some info...

PRESS RELEASE

WWF STUDIES FIND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES CLIMATE IMPACTS, COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS

Global climate policy can drive broad implementation of existing technologies
to achieve meaningful greenhouse gas reductions

WASHINGTON, DC, March 25, 2009 – World Wildlife Fund today released two new studies that underscore how existing information technology (IT) solutions can meet the demands of today’s corporations while also reducing the harmful CO2 emissions that contribute to climate change. As world leaders work this year to gain agreement on global strategies to combat the worsening climate crisis, policymakers and corporations are increasingly looking for solutions that reduce harmful emissions while creating jobs, saving money and driving innovation.

“IT can be a significant driver of greenhouse gas reductions, but we need strong global climate policy to ensure these solutions are implemented at the speed and scale necessary to make a difference,” said Dennis Pamlin, a WWF Policy Advisor and co-author of the reports. “This research tells us that if relatively simple measures are implemented globally, we can achieve annual emissions reductions equal to at least half of current U.S. total annual emissions by 2050. But we must start to walk in the right direction now, before it’s too late.”

According to the reports, which were independently authored by WWF together with leading academic experts and with funding support from HP and Microsoft, collaboration is fundamental. Business and policy makers can deliver a low carbon future, but they must work together to achieve meaningful results.

For example, the first report, “Virtual Meetings and Climate Innovation in the 21st Century”, highlights the significant impact employee travel makes on a company’s total carbon footprint – accounting for 50% or more among non-manufacturing companies. Virtual meetings are an existing alternative that can increase the efficiency of business while reducing costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Creating a global network of more than 4,000 high quality videoconferencing studios in cities around the world would help build a new infrastructure for the 21st century and would cost less than one and a half airplanes,” Pamlin noted.

The second report, “From Workplace to Anyplace”, highlights opportunities to employ existing technologies that enable one or more individuals to work or collaborate remotely. This would create new efficiencies and cut emissions created by daily commuting or business air travel.

In the report’s “smart world” scenario, where policies and IT industry users contribute to a climate smart future, roughly one billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions are avoided through tele-work in year 2030–an amount equivalent to the total current annual carbon dioxide emissions from the United Kingdom and Italy combined. By the year 2050, tele-work could reduce almost 3.5 billion tons of emissions–equivalent to more than half of the United States’ current CO2 emissions.

The report also says that developed countries may deliver the majority of greenhouse gas emissions with increased tele-working in the short term, but developing countries can deliver the bulk of the reductions in the long term.

As part of this research, a carbon calculator for policymakers and businesses was developed and is available online at www.worldwildlife.org/carbonprojector.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

The report, Virtual Meetings and Climate Innovation in the 21st Century, is available online at: www.worldwildlife.org/climate/videoconferencing

The report, From Workplace to Anyplace, is available online at:
www.worldwildlife.org/climate/teleworking

The reports have been peer-reviewed by scientists, economists and expert bodies, including WWF. The research was funded by both HP and Microsoft.

PRESS RELEASE : WWF STUDIES FIND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES CLIMATE IMPACTS, COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS

Here is a press release for two reports at the same time. Will post both here later with some info...


PRESS RELEASE

WWF STUDIES FIND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES CLIMATE IMPACTS, COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS

Global climate policy can drive broad implementation of existing technologies
to achieve meaningful greenhouse gas reductions

WASHINGTON, DC, March 25, 2009 – World Wildlife Fund today released two new studies that underscore how existing information technology (IT) solutions can meet the demands of today’s corporations while also reducing the harmful CO2 emissions that contribute to climate change. As world leaders work this year to gain agreement on global strategies to combat the worsening climate crisis, policymakers and corporations are increasingly looking for solutions that reduce harmful emissions while creating jobs, saving money and driving innovation.

“IT can be a significant driver of greenhouse gas reductions, but we need strong global climate policy to ensure these solutions are implemented at the speed and scale necessary to make a difference,” said Dennis Pamlin, a WWF Policy Advisor and co-author of the reports. “This research tells us that if relatively simple measures are implemented globally, we can achieve annual emissions reductions equal to at least half of current U.S. total annual emissions by 2050. But we must start to walk in the right direction now, before it’s too late.”

According to the reports, which were independently authored by WWF together with leading academic experts and with funding support from HP and Microsoft, collaboration is fundamental. Business and policy makers can deliver a low carbon future, but they must work together to achieve meaningful results.

For example, the first report, “Virtual Meetings and Climate Innovation in the 21st Century”, highlights the significant impact employee travel makes on a company’s total carbon footprint – accounting for 50% or more among non-manufacturing companies. Virtual meetings are an existing alternative that can increase the efficiency of business while reducing costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Creating a global network of more than 4,000 high quality videoconferencing studios in cities around the world would help build a new infrastructure for the 21st century and would cost less than one and a half airplanes,” Pamlin noted.

The second report, “From Workplace to Anyplace”, highlights opportunities to employ existing technologies that enable one or more individuals to work or collaborate remotely. This would create new efficiencies and cut emissions created by daily commuting or business air travel.

In the report’s “smart world” scenario, where policies and IT industry users contribute to a climate smart future, roughly one billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions are avoided through tele-work in year 2030–an amount equivalent to the total current annual carbon dioxide emissions from the United Kingdom and Italy combined. By the year 2050, tele-work could reduce almost 3.5 billion tons of emissions–equivalent to more than half of the United States’ current CO2 emissions.

The report also says that developed countries may deliver the majority of greenhouse gas emissions with increased tele-working in the short term, but developing countries can deliver the bulk of the reductions in the long term.

As part of this research, a carbon calculator for policymakers and businesses was developed and is available online at www.worldwildlife.org/carbonprojector.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

The report, Virtual Meetings and Climate Innovation in the 21st Century, is available online at: www.worldwildlife.org/climate/videoconferencing

The report, From Workplace to Anyplace, is available online at:
www.worldwildlife.org/climate/teleworking

The reports have been peer-reviewed by scientists, economists and expert bodies, including WWF. The research was funded by both HP and Microsoft.

Vivian Reading and the low carbon ICT team at DG Infosoc: A 21st century climate hero

I don’t think that many expected Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, to become one of the leading global voices for innovative climate solutions two years ago. A little more than a year ago during the European Business Summit was the first time that I heard her publicly made it very clear that she saw ICT as an important part of the climate solution. Now during the ICT4EE: High Level Event on ICT for Energy Efficiency she delivered a speech that was really encouraging in terms of scope and focus.

It was a fascinating feeling to see the big ICT4EE banner at Charlemagne. A year ago the focus in the commission was still ICT as a ”problem” (The emissions from ICT) and the work related to the solutions that smart ICT solutions can provide was very marginal. In less than two years this has changed and Redding moved to the forefront, not only in EU but globally when it comes to an innovation based solutions agenda.

The language on the page for ICT4EE is happy reading of anyone that believe in a innovation and solution agenda.

”The Commission has recognized that ICTs and ICT-based innovations may provide one of the potentially most cost-effective means to achieve the 2020 targets. We aim at creating a policy framework that will allow the energy-saving potential of ICTs to be widely recognized and exploited.”

Let’s hope that Vivian and her team will deliver recommendations that will ensure that the words and visions that turn into concrete action.

Below are my bullet point recommendations for the commissions that I presented in my keynote during the ICT4EE event:

1. Clear responsibility
- Important to be able to track and measure what is happening and without clear responsibility (that include targets) ICT for energy efficiency will only be an idea.

2. Separate the 2% from the 98% even more
- Ensure focus and right tools. It is hard to support innovation and large parts of the ICT industry still not get it (during the initial keynote presentation it was sad to hear a business representative talk about smaller boxes for mobile phones and energy efficient base stations. Not only did it sound like a sale pitch it also showed that he did not understand what the focus now is. Business needs to ensure that they bring the representatives that understand the issue, and they exist in all companies so it should not be a problem. I can also recommend the joint WWF-Gartner assessment as guide to ensure that leading companies are given space)

3. Frame the recommendation within the concepts of “low- and high carbon feedback” or “20th century and 21st century infrastructure”
- Look beyond the direct reductions and ensure the right direction. ICT can help accelerate reduction by triggering further investments in smart solutions that help reduce emissions further. Too much money is invested in infrastructure that is not really delivering anything else but a lock-in into a 20th century resource intensive society that block innovation.

4. Track support and subsidies
- No need for subsidies, but urgent need for technology neutral solutions. Few low carbon ICT solutions need any subsidies, but they need rules that are technology neutral and sometime get transition support as we move from a 20th century infrastructure (with built in subsidies /support for old energy intensive solutions) to a 21st century smart infrastructure (with built in subsidies/support for energy efficient solutions). Support for smart grid solutions that encourage increased decentralised energy production and buildings that are net producers of energy is one example of an important measure. To encourage transparency it would be good with a tool that can track support and subsidies in 20th or 21st century infrastructure.

5. Include targets and special support for solutions that reduce CO2 emissions with 90% or more/ are 100 times better or more
- The more I think about it the more important I think that this policy is. I see so many initiatives (and organisations) that ignore innovation and solutions that really can make a difference as they focus on incremental improvements in existing systems. Very seldom are the really sustainable solutions discussed and there are many reasons for that (difficult to calculate the CO2 savings when significant shifts happens, limits in current economic models, political structures mirrors existing old business structures not tomorrows businesses, etc). In order to allow these solutions space to develop and understand the needs better targets and support is needed.

6. Shift from product to service
- All major policies and public procurement (EU first to require meeting agencies?) The commission and the member states must change their thinking from products to services both in policy development (include ICT solutions in infrastructure planning) and in key instruments (use public procurement to put pressure).

7. A Global perspective
- Solutions should be developed that can be used around the world, especially emerging markets like China and India. The solutions should also be developed together with other governments and companies outside EU. Targets for export and import are needed as well as targets for employment (not just in one country or region, but globally), but even more important is target for productivity.

It is obviously time to take the next step in the WWF-ETNO project "Saving the climate @ the speed of light"... Now we need implementation @ the speed of light, and we need more companies and stakeholders onboard....

Vivian Reading and the low carbon ICT team at DG Infosoc: A 21st century climate hero

I don’t think that many expected Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, to become one of the leading global voices for innovative climate solutions two years ago. A little more than a year ago during the European Business Summit was the first time that I heard her publicly made it very clear that she saw ICT as an important part of the climate solution. Now during the ICT4EE: High Level Event on ICT for Energy Efficiency she delivered a speech that was really encouraging in terms of scope and focus.

It was a fascinating feeling to see the big ICT4EE banner at Charlemagne. A year ago the focus in the commission was still ICT as a ”problem” (The emissions from ICT) and the work related to the solutions that smart ICT solutions can provide was very marginal. In less than two years this has changed and Redding moved to the forefront, not only in EU but globally when it comes to an innovation based solutions agenda.

The language on the page for ICT4EE is happy reading of anyone that believe in a innovation and solution agenda.

”The Commission has recognized that ICTs and ICT-based innovations may provide one of the potentially most cost-effective means to achieve the 2020 targets. We aim at creating a policy framework that will allow the energy-saving potential of ICTs to be widely recognized and exploited.”

Let’s hope that Vivian and her team will deliver recommendations that will ensure that the words and visions that turn into concrete action.

Below are my bullet point recommendations for the commissions that I presented in my keynote during the ICT4EE event:

1. Clear responsibility
- Important to be able to track and measure what is happening and without clear responsibility (that include targets) ICT for energy efficiency will only be an idea.

2. Separate the 2% from the 98% even more
- Ensure focus and right tools. It is hard to support innovation and large parts of the ICT industry still not get it (during the initial keynote presentation it was sad to hear a business representative talk about smaller boxes for mobile phones and energy efficient base stations. Not only did it sound like a sale pitch it also showed that he did not understand what the focus now is. Business needs to ensure that they bring the representatives that understand the issue, and they exist in all companies so it should not be a problem. I can also recommend the joint WWF-Gartner assessment as guide to ensure that leading companies are given space)

3. Frame the recommendation within the concepts of “low- and high carbon feedback” or “20th century and 21st century infrastructure”
- Look beyond the direct reductions and ensure the right direction. ICT can help accelerate reduction by triggering further investments in smart solutions that help reduce emissions further. Too much money is invested in infrastructure that is not really delivering anything else but a lock-in into a 20th century resource intensive society that block innovation.

4. Track support and subsidies
- No need for subsidies, but urgent need for technology neutral solutions. Few low carbon ICT solutions need any subsidies, but they need rules that are technology neutral and sometime get transition support as we move from a 20th century infrastructure (with built in subsidies /support for old energy intensive solutions) to a 21st century smart infrastructure (with built in subsidies/support for energy efficient solutions). Support for smart grid solutions that encourage increased decentralised energy production and buildings that are net producers of energy is one example of an important measure. To encourage transparency it would be good with a tool that can track support and subsidies in 20th or 21st century infrastructure.

5. Include targets and special support for solutions that reduce CO2 emissions with 90% or more/ are 100 times better or more
- The more I think about it the more important I think that this policy is. I see so many initiatives (and organisations) that ignore innovation and solutions that really can make a difference as they focus on incremental improvements in existing systems. Very seldom are the really sustainable solutions discussed and there are many reasons for that (difficult to calculate the CO2 savings when significant shifts happens, limits in current economic models, political structures mirrors existing old business structures not tomorrows businesses, etc). In order to allow these solutions space to develop and understand the needs better targets and support is needed.

6. Shift from product to service
- All major policies and public procurement (EU first to require meeting agencies?) The commission and the member states must change their thinking from products to services both in policy development (include ICT solutions in infrastructure planning) and in key instruments (use public procurement to put pressure).

7. A Global perspective
- Solutions should be developed that can be used around the world, especially emerging markets like China and India. The solutions should also be developed together with other governments and companies outside EU. Targets for export and import are needed as well as targets for employment (not just in one country or region, but globally), but even more important is target for productivity.

It is obviously time to take the next step in the WWF-ETNO project "Saving the climate @ the speed of light"... Now we need implementation @ the speed of light, and we need more companies and stakeholders onboard....