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The NATO SCIENCE PROGRAMME |
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The NATO SCIENCE PROGRAMME |
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Theme
The proliferation of information and communications technology (ICT) is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it provides a vast cyber-infrastructure, capable of collecting and assessing data, as well as computer models that allow us to better understand and manage environmental problems. However these systems also generate significant environmental impacts. Products like computers, mobile telephones, and networking equipment cause environmental burdens in many ways, and across the product life cycle. The manufacture of equipment consumes resources and releases toxic emissions. Use of these products requires a considerable amount of electricity to be produced, which causes environmental impacts. Finally, when electronic products are no longer useful, the disposition phase can potentially cause additional waste streams. These waste streams may contain toxic or metallic substances that cannot be sent to landfills.
Research and knowledge pertaining to these environmental impacts of ICT is relatively new. At the same time, policy drivers of such activities are being realized as national and regional plans to minimize these impacts. For example, as a result of legislation initiated in Europe in 2002, manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment are prohibited from using certain heavy metals and flame retardants in their products, and will be faced with the additional responsibility of taking back these devices at the end of their useful lives. At this time, there is considerable uncertainty related to how such a take back system will be organized and managed given the large number of manufacturers, countries, and products affected.
Objectives: This workshop will bring together experts from countries already considering the broad implications of ICT with decision-makers, academics, and government representatives from countries that are members or partners of NATO. The goals of the workshop are:
- to present the state-of-the-art of research in the field to stakeholders
- to learn about and identify the most pressing environmental problems of ICT
- to identify possible solutions to these problems using existing methods and tools
- to facilitate a meeting of experts and environmental stakeholders from all over the world
- to encourage personal contacts and future interaction between experts on tackling systems-level environmental problems.
The objectives of the workshop will be achieved through a combination of mechanisms. Key lectures will be delivered in the most important topic areas by world-renowned experts followed by a question and answer period. Panels have been organized to discuss the state of environmental issues in Europe countries, and on generally familiarizing the participants with regional and global environmental issues associated with ICT. To facilitate further interaction among participants in key areas, discussion sessions will be organized in energy, environmental, and product and policy design. A short paper will be solicited from each key speaker that will become a chapter in a NATO Science Series publication promised as part of this ARW. In addition, the directors will summarize topical areas and discussion panels for this publication.
In summary, the objective of the workshop is to present state-of-the-art research on the implications of ICT to academics, policy-makers and students, and to facilitate a dialogue between participants from a number of countries. The ultimate goal of the workshop is to encourage participants from at least 20 countries to use existing knowledge and to work together on global ICT problems in the future.
General approach: The three-day program will involve presentations, panel discussions, case studies, and discussions. The presentations will showcase the latest research and results pertaining to environmental implications of ICT systems, life-cycle assessment, extended producer responsibility, product takeback and reverse logistics systems, materials selection, and energy consumption. Key speakers will present case studies on product takeback (reverse logistics), electronic product disassembly and demanufacturing, and relative energy assessments of networks. Key speakers are chosen from academia, industry, government, and non-governmental organizations to demonstrate the cross-functionality of research practices and the importance of an integrated systems approach to environmental decision-making. Interaction between key speakers and participants will be encouraged by creating an informal atmosphere during the workshop, to facilitate a dialogue between environmental decision- and policy-makers and experts from at least 20 countries.
Benefits to participants: This workshop will emphasize a systems approach to learning about the implications of information and communications technology equipment and systems, including the current state of the art in terms of energy and environmental issues, future trends, design for environment issues, and will demonstrate the effective use of new methods and tools to meet this objective.
Call for Participants
An open call for participants is hereby announced, to augment an established scientific program. Interested parties should contact one of the NATO ARW Co-directors below by July 1, 2003. Please note that participation is limited to 40 people total.
H. Scott Matthews
Assistant Professor, Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering / Engineering and Public Policy
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
hsm@cmu.eduZsolt Istvan
Institute of Logistics and Production Systems
Bay Zoltan Foundation for Applied Research
Department of Recycling
Miskolc, H-3519 Igloi u. 2.
HUNGARY
Istvan.Zsolt@bzlogi.hu
Conference Hotel and Location
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Art'otel Budapest.
Agenda - and links to Presentations
September 1 THE LIFE CYCLE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
September 2 DESIGN FOR ENVIRONMENT AND ICT SYSTEMS ASSESSMENTS
September 3 THE IMPACTS OF ICT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE WAY WE LIVE AND DO BUSINESS