Real climate leaders wanted
I'm just back from the massive IT trade fair CeBIT in Germany where we launched our latest push for greener electronics – now asking IT leaders to rise to the challenge of climate change.
Basically we are asking the executives of top IT firms to lobby key governments for a strong, planet-saving agreement at the December 2009 climate change summit in Copenhagen. We're inviting companies like Cisco, Fujitsu, Google, HP, IBM, Nokia and Microsoft to the challenge. Many of these companies are positioning themselves as being able to provide the solutions to significantly cut carbon emissions. If they are serious they need to support a strong Kyoto deal in Copenhagen that will provide the demand for their IT solutions.
Despite the media at CeBIT being very excited about Arnold Schwarzenegger's attendance (possibly hoping for a Terminator style quote), we managed to get good interesting in the launch of the challenge with coverage in The Register, Computer world and the Green IT report.
Now we have a few things we need help with:
Right now, today, Thursday, - vote up the story on Digg to bring extra attention
Help spread the word
In between interviews I also popped over to Cisco's blog that talks about all the great climate solutions they have to suggest they support the challenge. I got a "your comment appears to be spam and will be moderated". I heard that several other folks comments have also not appeared since Tuesday. So either Cisco's moderation is much slower then their routers, or invite on the page to "Join the Conversation" doesn't apply if you have something meaningful to say. Anyway I've added a trackback to this post - so if you reading Cisco – rising to the challenge is a better business move than trying to ignore it.
Cisco Update, 6th March: Cisco's Laura Ipsen, Senior VP, Global Policy and Government Affairs posted a response yesterday on Cisco's blog. I have a few questions which I'm following up with by email. Stay tuned.......
For those companies who might need a bit more prompting to back up their green words with real action, to paraphrase Arnie "we'll be back", in May with the first assessment of the real IT climate leaders.
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Comments
The Green IT Report review of the campaign raises a good question about conflicting interests IT executives are facing: On the one hand IT CEOs want to do the right thing for the planet, but on the other hand they could lose some potential customers. Lobbying for a strong deal in Copenhagen will pit them against, well, everyone lobbying against:
"It is a real concern for IT suppliers, but I think it's a misguided one. Climate change is an issue that will progressively reach into all aspects of society and business. Companies will eventually have to express strong views, if for no other reason than the fact that customers and shareholders will force them to. Those that move early to adopt a moral stand (as companies in other industries are starting to do) will reap the benefits in the longer term." http://www.thegreenitreview.com/2009/03/greenpeaces-green-it-challenge.html
Posted by: Eoin | March 6, 2009 1:36 PM