IT industry lobbies governments to accept its role in tackling climate change

Online media site TelecomTV is pressing governments to acknowledge the role that the IT and telecommunications industry could take in helping combat climate change.

In a film screened at the International Telecommunication Union's conference in Geneva, TelecomTV argues that the industry should be a "key part" of the debate at the Copenhagen summit, set to begin tomorrow.

The film, Green Planet, examines how the IT industry could help reduce CO2 by 15 per cent. Modern IT could achieve large-scale emissions reductions which could save the world economy as much as $950bn a year, according to the group. "Technology will drive sustainability, but the sector is not even on the agenda at Copenhagen," said a TelecomTV spokesman.

Ahead of the summit, figures from the think tank Business for New Europe show that 79 per cent of top FTSE 500 directors agree that the EU should take a lead in the battle against climate change.