Green IT and Sustainability: Addressing the Global Environmental Crisis Embracing Technology

The socio-economic developments around the world and peoples’ behavioural changes continue to contribute to increase in carbon-dioxide emission and environmental deterioration, causing global warming which presents serious risks to every one of us. Climate change is already impacting us in several ways.  As the Time magazine (20-27 July 2020) warned, “What we do now will define the fate of the planet–and human life on it–for decades.” So, it is imperative as well as our professional and social responsibility to address the worsening climate crisis. 

Information technology (IT) has irrevocably transformed almost everything that know and deal with; now it has another agenda -- help create a greener, sustainable environment while fostering socio-economic development. While IT can help address growing environmental problems, it also contributes to the problem, though to a much lesser extent.  We can, however, make IT systems and their use greener as well as apply IT innovatively in several other domains to minimize their negative impact on our environment.  By leveraging IT, we can enable sustainable growth and create a low-carbon economy that benefits us. 

In this seminar, with brief introduction to environmental problems that confront us and environmental impacts of IT, I will outline the scope of Green IT and its different facets, and how IT and AI could be embraced to address growing carbon footprint and global warming.  I will also discuss new developments in this domain such as green AI, green cloud computing, and green IoT and communications. Finally, I’ll also illustrate how individuals and enterprises are embracing green IT and discuss research and business opportunities in this area.