High-level OECD Conference - ICTs, THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

On 27-28 May 2009 the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation hosted a high-level OECD Conference on how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can improve environmental performance and mitigate climate change in all sectors of the economy.

The conference took place in Helsingør, Denmark. The OECD Secretary-General, Angel Gurría, and the Danish Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Helge Sander, opened the conference.

Angel Gurría's opening speech

Helge Sander's opening speech

Director General of the Danish National IT and Telecom Agency Jørgen Abild Andersen's closing statement

Objectives

The objectives of this conference were to further develop policy instruments and analysis related to ICTs and environmental performance. The conference aimed to:

• Develop a better understanding of the relationship between ICTs, the environment, and climate change,
• Analyse environmental impacts of ICTs, the Internet and their applications,
• Promote R&D, innovation and long-term investments to foster sustainability and restore economic growth in the current crisis,
• Compare national “Green ICT” policies and good practice approaches,
• Develop a co-ordinated international policy research agenda.

The conference developed themes from the OECD Workshop on ICTs and Environmental Challenges in Copenhagen in May 2008 and the OECD Ministerial Meeting on The Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul in June 2008.

The outcomes are among others relevant to discussions at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, 7-18 December 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark (COP15).

Participants

High-level policy-makers, representatives from business and civil society, and academic experts aided in advancing the policy agenda on ICTs to improve environmental performance and combat climate change.