Cloud computing contribution to meeting the COP27 objectives

From the 6th to the 18th of November, the world will be gathered in Sharma El Sheikh, Egypt, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly referred to as the Conference of Parties (COP). This is an annual event that brings the signatories of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a treaty that aims at combating human interference with the climate system. COP27, which is being held in Africa, aims to build on the achievement of COP26 which was held in Glasgow, United Kingdom. COP27 aims at bringing government, non-state actors, the business community, media, and other players together to accelerate the efforts to confront the climate crisis. The meeting is coming at a time when the world is experiencing some of the worst environmental crises. Talk of devastating heat waves across the world, the deadly floods in Pakistan and other countries, and the drought in North Africa and other parts of the world. The latest science indicates that climate change is now with us and it is moving rapidly, pushing communities and ecosystems to their limits.

Meeting sustainability goals

Cloud computing has been recognised as one of the infrastructures that can help businesses meet their sustainability goals and effectively respond to demands without compromising their profitability. It has been demonstrated that cloud computing technology can be used to align business goals with environmental protection.

Net zero emission

The Glasgow COP26 meeting stressed the need for urgent action where carbon emissions must be brought down by 45% if business firms are to reach net zero by the middle of the century. Cloud computing will play a big role in helping achieve this. First, it reduces the need to travel. As we know, commuting contributes a significant amount of carbon emissions. As people travel for meetings, to work among other places. With cloud computing, people can work remotely, and online meetings have become the norm, especially during the pandemic. We are even looking forward to a situation where pre-COP meetings and workshops and even the main conference can be held virtually. With these initiatives, courtesy of cloud computing, the journey to net zero emission can be shorter.

Cloud computing carbon footprint

Cloud computing services providers are at the forefront, helping address the existential challenge that we face today. Technology is helping turn sustainability ambitions into action. The service providers are combining technology and knowledge in helping businesses achieve their sustainability goals. These companies are also setting their environmental commitments and goals. For instance, they have made it their duty to ensure that their services are provided with minimal impact on the environment. They have adopted measures that help in improving efficiency in data centre cooling, reduction of power needs, controlling noise pollution, and recycling waste heat. Through the adoption of technologies such as liquid immersion cooling, data centres have significantly cut their power bills, reduced space requirements, and controlled the noise levels in their environments.

The business community can borrow a leaf from cloud computing service providers to reduce their carbon footprint and also meet their sustainability goals. Similarly, they can rely on the services provided by these entities to effectively respond to the challenges presented by climate change. As the world gathers in Sharma El Sheikh for COP27 next month, these are some of the issues that should be given prominence. The conference should push the state members and other actors to move quickly in meeting their mitigation and adaptation measures as well as help in meeting the loss and damage costs that vulnerable parts of the globe are facing.