Carbon-centric computing - IT solutions for climate change

Abstract

IT has a role to play in the current debate on climate change. The current discourse on IT and climate change views IT in a negative light, as a polluter. What remains unrecognized is the critical role of IT as a source of solutions to the climate change problem. We live in a massive, inter-connected Planet Earth Supply Chain. IT provides a range of tools to model, manage and optimize this supply chain. The University of Wollongong Carbon-Centric Computing Initiative (CCCI) seeks to seed a program of research that addresses the climate change problem with a range of computing technologies including (but not limited to): optimization technologies, supply chain management technologies, business process management/process improvement technologies, grid computing (e.g., utility grid) and virtualization technologies, ICT-enabled conferencing and collaboration technologies as well as ICT for knowledge sharing and network-centric advocacy. The contours of this new and exciting space for research and industry development are described in this report authored by three University of Wollongong academics: Prof. Aditya Ghose (Director, Decision Systems Lab, School of Computer Science and Software Engineering), A/Prof. Helen Hasan (Director, ATUL, School of Economics) and Prof. Trevor Spedding (Head, School of Management and Marketing). The report provides insights into a set of representative points within this new space. It describes how existing web infrastructure could be leveraged to devise the optimizing web — a massive, globally inter-connected network of optimizers helping support decisions that would reduce the global carbon footprint. It describes how computer simulation models can provide the basis for sustainable manufacturing and environmental management in the enterprise. It describes how IT based techniques can help support supply chain optimization audits to determine if and how value might be best derived from the judicious use of optimization technology. It describes the critical role ICT-enabled collaboration technologies can play in reducing the carbon footprint. It also addresses the key role ICT-based knowledge sharing and network-centric advocacy can play in obtaining broader social engagement in this debate. The report addresses the policy dimension to these issues and the need for an industry-academia consortium to drive such an agenda forward. Disciplines Physical Sciences and Mathematics Publication Details This report was originally published as Ghose, A, Hasan, H and Spedding, T, Carbon-centric Computing: IT Solutions for Climate Change A report prepared by the University Working Group on the Carbon-centric Computing Initiative, University of Wollongong, 2008, 17p. This report is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/infopapers/669 IT SOLUTIONS FO R CLIMATE CHANG E A report prepared by the University of Wollongong Working Group on the Carbon-Centric Computing Initiative Professor Aditya Ghose Director, Decision Systems Lab School of Computer Science and Software Engineering Associate Professor Helen Hasan Director, ATUL School of Economics Professor Trevor Spedding Head, School of Management and Marketing Contact Us Professor Aditya Ghose School of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Faculty of Informatics aditya@uow.edu.au http://www.uow.edu.au/~aditya/ Associate Professor Helen Hasan School of Economics, Faculty of Commerce hasan@uow.edu.au http://uow.edu.au/~hasan/ Professor Trevor Spedding Head, School of Management and Marketing, Faculty of Commerce spedding@uow.edu.au For more publications of the authors of the report see: http://ro.uow.edu.au/ Carbon-Centric Computing: IT Solutions for Climate Change A report prepared by the University of Wollongong Working Group on the Carbon-Centric Computing Initiative Professor Aditya Ghose School of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Faculty of Informatics Associate Professor Helen Hasan School of Economics, Faculty of Commerce Professor Trevor Spedding Head, School of Management and Marketing, Faculty of Commerce Researchers: Professor Aditya Ghose Associate Professor Helen Hasan Professor Trevor Spedding First published 2008 Copyright © the authors, 2008 All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Coypright Act 1968 of Australia and subsequent amendments, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, withoug the prior prermission of the copyright owners.