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Time and place: Monday, 6 May 2024, 14:30 – 17:30 hours, Geneva (Room K, ITU)
This workshop on circular economy considerations and new technologies for combatting climate change took place at ITU Headquarters (ITU Tower building, Room K) in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday, 6 May 2024, 14:30 – 17:30 hours, following the
ITU-D Study Group 2 Question 6/2 meeting dedicated to “ICTs for the environment”.
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Background information
While the first part of the workshop will focus on new technologies for climate change mitigation and adaptation, part two will examine the circular economy considerations when it comes to combatting climate change, in particular regarding the implications associated with e-waste generation and critical raw materials / rare earth metals scarcity. The workshop will discuss concrete examples from different countries, implemented by public but also by private actors.
The workshop will take into account crosscutting issues: One crosscutting issue is for example the recent rise in production of rechargeable batteries and solar equipment, linked to the “greening” of the automotive and energy industries. This fuels an unprecedented demand for certain (rare) raw materials and presents challenges when it comes to recycling / e-waste management. At the same time, there is significant competition for these same materials, especially from the ICT sector as countries embark on digital transformation.
Of course, using new technologies to mitigate climate change also requires a legal basis: the workshop will look at the intersection between “green” and “digital”, therefore touching on e-waste regulation and experiences from countries around the world, but also how climate and “green” issues have been incorporated into national ICT policies, while “digital” has been mainstreamed into national climate commitments.
