International Standardization of Methodology for Environmental Impact Assessment of ICT Goods, Networks and Services

1. Backgrounds

  The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has actively come to grips with Green of ICT (greening of ICT system itself*) and Green by ICT (greening of each field by thorough utilization of ICT**) to contribute to solving environmental problems by utilizing ICT. Among methods to evaluate the effect of environmental loading reduction by utilizing ICT, the “methodology for environmental impact assessment of ICT goods, networks and services” has been approved as an ITU-T Recommendation L.1410 as of March 8, 2012 and published on March 29, 2012.
*Energy savings of data centers, etc., **Smart grid, ITS, telework, etc.
                     

2. Outline of Recommendation

  This recommendation defines the common international framework for “assessment methods to calculate the effect of environmental loading reduction of ICT goods, networks and services” among issues to be discussed at ICT and Climate Change Group (SG5 WP3) of ITU-T.
  Following this recommendation, CO2 emission accompanying hardware resources that constitute ICT services, and energy and physical quantity consumed are categorized into eight activity items such as material consumption, movement of humans and materials. This enables calculation of CO2 emissions in the entire life cycle ranging from acquisition of raw materials, manufacture, use, to disposal/recycle so that the effect of reducing CO2 emissions by ICT may be indicated as index.
  This makes it possible to elucidate the CO2 emission reduction effects by ICT based on the common international framework. Consequently, corporations and organizations that intend to introduce ICT goods, networks and services will be able to choose them based not only on their performance and prices but also on the demonstrated effects of CO2 emission reduction as new criteria.
   In the future, this recommendation is expected to lead to improvement of the international competitiveness of Japan as it will become criteria at the time of promoting the introduction and sales of Japanese ICT goods, networks and services excellent in eco-friendly technology, and developing them in Japan and other countries.

3. Future Efforts

   MIC is conducting research and study on ICT services (streamlining of offices, etc.) that are actually in operation with a view to verifying the range of application and acquisition of data necessary for evaluation and its work rate using the recommended methodology for environmental impact assessment. MIC plans to suggest its achievements to ITU-T and discuss them at ITU meetings. We continue to contribute to international standardization by making proposals on other issues under consideration at ITU-T and SG5 WP3.