Excerpts from the public consultation text follows:
At the 2007 Spring European Council, the Heads of State and Government highlighted the development of a sustainable integrated European climate and energy policy as a top priority and adopted an energy and climate package to guide the EU towards a competitive and secure energy economy while promoting energy savings and climate-friendly energy sources. The package defined three targets for 2020: 20% reduction in emissions compared to 1990 levels; 20% share of renewable energies in the overall EU energy consumption; and 20% savings in EU energy consumption compared to projections.
This policy will bring about alternative ways of running our daily lives so that Europe can continue on the path of growth and jobs while leading the global effort to tackle climate change and energy efficiency.
The importance of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) as a driver of growth and productivity is widely recognised. In contrast, the considerable impact of ICT on improving energy efficiency across the economy (i.e., energy productivity growth), as well as in improving efficiency in the use of natural resources whilst reducing pollution and dangerous waste, needs to be made more visible. This enabling role of ICT in improving energy efficiency, cutting across the whole economy, is the focus of the Commission communication on “Addressing the challenge of energy efficiency through Information and Communication Technologies” adopted on 13th May 2008.
The purpose of this consultation is to gather information and opinions from stakeholders on which are the sectors that offer the most promising prospects for improved energy efficiency through the use of ICT and what are the actions to be taken at EU level in order to maximise these effects. The results of the consultation will provide input for a second Communication defining a concrete policy approach.
Given the nature of the consultation, the publication of individual replies is not envisaged at this stage. A (partial) publication may, however, be considered if of interest to all stakeholders. This is why respondents are requested to clearly state whether they would agree to their contribution being published.
All contributions will be carefully analysed and a summary of the outcome of the consultation will be published on DG INFSO’s website http://ec.europa.eu/ictforsg
Contact: European Commission, DG INFSO, Unit H4 “ICT for Sustainable Growth”
E-mail: INFSO-ICTforSG@ec.europa.eu
Public Consultation Page: http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=ICT4EE
