Green ICT aims to address the environmental impact of information and communications technology and how it can enable more sustainable cities. The document discusses how ICT is both an environmental problem due to its energy usage but also enables environmental benefits. It proposes that cities need a common framework to track data, metrics and solutions to factor ICT into their long-term sustainability plans and policies.

1. Discussion Brief
Green ICT: Sustainability for the 21st Century
Written specifically for Connected Urban Development Global Conference 2008
by the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group
Overview
In the policies and plans for sustainability and eco-responsibility in cities, much atten-
tion has been directed to three sectors: the built environment, energy, and mobility. At
the commencement of the 21st century, it is obvious that a fourth, equally important ele-
ment must be addressed: information and communications technology (ICT). ICT is both
an environmental problem and an enabler of environmental benefits, but lacks a com-
mon framework for data, performance metrics, and solution sets for urban sustainability.
This panel is the start of a dialogue about how cities can create coherent, long-term