ICT and Eco-Sustainability Working Group Annual Meeting 2011 Davos-Klosters – 27 January 2011

The report argues that ICT-enabled energy efficiency can reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 8 GtCO2e by 2020, creating US$ 1.4 trillion in annual cost savings and 15 million jobs. It identifies four primary technology groups—Smart Grids, Smart Buildings, Smart Logistics, and Smart Industry—as the main drivers of this potential. While technological readiness is high, the report highlights significant barriers in regulation, financing models, and stakeholder awareness. It proposes five showcase projects, including energy scorecards for cities and interoperability test beds for smart grids, to accelerate adoption.

• By 2020, ICT-enabled energy efficiency solutions have the potential to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 8 GtCO2e, which represents about one-third of the total achievable abatement for that decade.
• The economic impact of these ICT-enabled solutions is projected to reach US$ 1.4 trillion in annual energy-related cost savings by 2020, including approximately US$ 200 billion in avoided costs if a carbon pricing mechanism is introduced.
• Full implementation of these technologies could create 15 million full-time jobs in the ICT solution industry, with 6 to 7 million being entirely new positions and 8 to 9 million shifting from other sectors, primarily energy and transportation.
• The report categorizes the opportunities into four main technology groups: Smart Grids (focusing on power networks and renewables), Smart Buildings (design and automation), Smart Logistics (route and network optimization), and Smart Industry (smart motors and energy management), plus additional technologies like telecommuting and traffic management.
• Analysis via the 'Eco-Sustainability Altimeter' indicates that while technological maturity is generally high, implementation progress as of 2010 was approximately 12.4% of the 2020 target, with growth expected to be non-linear and accelerate after 2015.
• Critical barriers to adoption include a lack of interoperability standards, high upfront investment costs, and a lack of transparency regarding energy consumption data for both businesses and consumers.
• The report recommends 'smart regulation' that aligns stakeholder objectives, time-limited financial subsidies to kick-start the market, and the development of new financing models where providers might guarantee savings or share investment costs.
• Five specific showcase projects are proposed to accelerate implementation: energy scorecards for municipalities, Energy Contracting Agencies (ECAs), centres of excellence in energy efficiency, smart city logistics concepts, and a large-scale interoperability test bed for smart grids.

APA

World Economic Forum (2011). ICT and Eco-Sustainability Working Group Annual Meeting 2011 Davos-Klosters – 27 January 2011. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM11/WEF_AM11_IT_EnergyEfficiencyOpportunities_2011.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. ICT and Eco-Sustainability Working Group Annual Meeting 2011 Davos-Klosters – 27 January 2011. 2011. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM11/WEF_AM11_IT_EnergyEfficiencyOpportunities_2011.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=ICT and Eco-Sustainability Working Group Annual Meeting 2011 Davos-Klosters – 27 January 2011 |date=27 January 2011 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM11/WEF_AM11_IT_EnergyEfficiencyOpportunities_2011.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2011ict, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{ICT and Eco-Sustainability Working Group Annual Meeting 2011 Davos-Klosters – 27 January 2011}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2011}, month = jan, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM11/WEF_AM11_IT_EnergyEfficiencyOpportunities_2011.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }