Climate Sense

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overnance

and

olicy

Meteorological Organization (WMO). WMO assesses

the need for environmental information and the

corresponding radio spectrum allocation. ITU World

Radiocommunication Conferences explore these needs

and ensure the availability and protection of frequency

bands for observations. A recent example of this collab-

oration is the ITU/WMO handbook

Use of Radio Spectrum

for Meteorology: Weather, Water and Climate Monitoring and

Prediction

which is approved by the Secretaries General

of two UN agencies. An electronic version of this hand-

book is available free of charge.

ICTs and climate change mitigation

The main carbon abatement opportunities offered by

ICTs are: reduction of ICTs carbon dioxide footprint,

reduction of GHG emissions in other sectors of the

economy, and the replacement of ‘atoms’ by ‘bits.’ This

is the process of ‘dematerialization’ – online access

to books, documents and films instead of publish-

ing them with print media or on disc copies. ICTs

already provide the relevant media and tools for the

application of methods such as electronic paperless

publications and distributing multimedia via Internet

TV. Radiocommunications even ‘dematerialize’ the

connective wire with the spread of wireless technology.

Current technological development allows signifi-

cantly reduced ICT energy consumption by using

new components, algorithms, protocols, software and

telecommunications system structure. It is one of the

ICTs and climate monitoring

The science of climate monitoring has benefited greatly from the paral-

lel development of ICTs. At present, the Global Climate Observing

System (GCOS) is based on the use of ICTs in general and remote

sensors (both in situ and space-based) in particular. These radio-based

applications provide the main source of information about the Earth’s

atmosphere and surface. In turn, this information is used for climate,

weather and water monitoring, natural disaster prediction, warnings,

and risk reduction, as well as in support of disaster relief operations.

It is also used for planning preventive measures for adapting to and

mitigating the negative effects of climate change.

The ITU framework regarding the role of ICTs in direct moni-

toring was initially envisioned in 1947 at the International Radio

Conference in Atlantic City, where ITU member states included

Meteorological Aids Service (MetAids) in the radio regulations,

and allocated radio frequency spectrum for MetAids applications

employed for environment and climate monitoring.

ITU creates the technical basis for the use of ICTs in GCOS

by providing necessary radio frequency spectrum and satellite

orbit resources for sensors employed by the organization. It also

develops treaty status (Radio Regulations) and voluntary (ITU

Recommendations) international standards for telecommunica-

tions used by GCOS. Remote Sensing Series is an example of a

voluntary standard. Guidance is provided on: the use of ICTs for

environment monitoring; and the prediction and mitigation of

the negative effects of disasters initiated by climate change.

ITU cooperates with many international and national organi-

zations and agencies involved in climate monitoring activities.

However, special attention is paid to proposals from the World

Phuket after the December 2004 Tsunami

Image: ITU/C. Zavazava