The role of ICTs for environmental observation. Collecting and helping to interpret and model the environment and more specifically the climate are key to climate action. Wireless sensor networks, the IoT, embedded microprocessors, remote sensing and earth observation systems, etc. are described. Today, they continue to be very important and their role and use os growing. Slide presentations developed to demonstrate how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) be used to address climate change, and why ICTs are a crucial part of the solution – i.e. in promoting efficiency, Green Growth & sustainable development, in dealing with climate change and for climate and environmental action. These slide presentations were delivered in February 2011 in Seongnam, near Seoul in Korea. These presentations were developed and delivered over 2.5 days on the occasion of a Regional Training of Trainers Workshop for upcoming Academy modules on ICT for Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Abatement. These modules were developed as part of the Academy of ICT Essentials for Government leaders developed by the United Nations (UN) Asia Pacific Centre for ICT Training (APCICT), based in Songdo City, in the Republic of South Korea. These presentations were developed in 2011, and are somewhat out of date, but most of the principles still apply. Module 10, which has been published, does not include much of the information outlined in these presentations, which are fairly technical. They were developed to address a significant gap in understanding of the technical basis of using ICTs for climate action and because there is a clear bias in development circles against the importance of dealing with climate change mitigation in developing countries. These presentations are an attempt to redress this lack and are published here with this purpose in mind. The author, Richard Labelle, is presently working on updating these presentations to further highlight the importance of addressing climate change and the important role that technology including ICTs, play in this effort.

1. Module 10
Session 2
(Seoul, Korea, 24 February 2011)
ICTs & environmental observation
Richard Labelle
rlab@sympatico.ca

2. 2
Objectives of Module 10
To show that ICTs be used to address
climate change
To demonstrate why ICTs are a crucial
part of the solution – i.e. in promoting
efficiency, Green Growth & sustainable
development

3. 3
Objectives
To present current trends in ICT
developments and innovations that
shed light on the use of ICTs for
environmental observation and for
abating climate change

4. 4
Trends that underpin ICT use for
environmental observation & abating
climate change
Connecting everything
Measuring everything
Controlling everything
Smart controls
Connect & control all motors & energy
consumption (embedded controls)

5. Environmental observation has many
specific needs & is very broad
Havana, Cuba, 8-9 February 2011 5

6. 6
Trends in ICT development
Digitization & dematerialization
Microprocessors
Internet diffusion
IPv6
Broadband
Cloud computing
Nanotechnology
Wireless & mobile device uptake

7. 7
Trends in ICT development (2)
Innovations in display technologies
GIS and related visualization
technologies
Improved & greener batteries
The IOT
Sensor technology
Social networking

8. 8
Trends: digitization &
dematerialization
Digitization & dematerialization
Smaller environmental sensing devices
More powerful sensing devices
More digitization (e-government, e-commerce,
etc.)  less need for travel
for rural dwellers, more energy
efficiency
More downloads: video, music, P2P, etc.
Telepresence
Virtualization (servers, networks, etc.)

9. 9
Trends: microprocessors (1)
11 nm dies now, with 1 nm in future
Smarter and more energy efficient
More powerful microprocessors and
microcontrollers
Parallel processing CPUs and GPUs in
portable / handheld devices
Moore’s law still works

10. 10
Trends: microprocessors (2)
45 nm Intel Core i7 processor:
Peak data throughput of 50 GB /sec. vs.
64 MB / sec. for Intel 386
8 cores per microprocessor die
Do more (much) faster & with less
energy

11. 11
Trends: microprocessors (3)
Dual / quad core for mobile devices:
Smartphones more powerful than
netbooks & as powerful as desktops 
…Powering transition to mobile over
desktop computing as main computing
platform
Enable wireless sensor networks
(WSNs) & the Internet of Things
(IoT)

12. 12
Trends: Internet diffusion
Global connectivity is growing

13. 13
Trends: Internet diffusion (1)
Mobile use by consumer & enterprise
markets in developed & emerging
economies increasing
Bandwidth demand from data &
video increasing
M2M connections increase
Backhaul capacity still has to
increase to meet demand
More portability and interoperability

14. 14
Trends: Internet diffusion (2)
New businesses & models emerging:
New forms of advertising, media and
content partnerships, mobile services
Including M2M, live gaming and looking
into the future, augmented reality
Off electrical grid connectivity in
some countries
A cottage industry
Driving use of renewables (solar) for
charging & powering beyond the
electrical grid

15. 15
Trends: Internet diffusion (3)
Tendency is total integration of
“desktop” with the Cloud
High bandwidth, low latency
connectivity
FTTx
4G, 5G…
This means speed of IP / Cloud access
~= to speed of computer buses
Massive data flows
With social nets: everyone is a user and
provider of massive amounts of info.

16. Global ICT development, 1998-2009
(ITU)
16

17. 17
Mobile Internet Outpaces
Desktop Internet Adoption
[Morgan Stanley. 2010. Internet trends. http://www.morganstanley.com/institutional/techresearch/internet_trends042010.html

18. The shift towards mobile computing
18
[Morgan Stanley. 2009. Economy + Internet Trends October 20, 2009. Web 2.0
Summit – San Francisco. mary.meeker@ms.com / scott.devitt@ms.com /
liang.wu@ms.com www.morganstanley.com/techresearch

19. Global mobile data traffic forecast by
region (Cisco)
19
Cisco® Visual Networking Index (VNI)
[Cisco. 2011. Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast
Update, 2010–2015.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns341/ns525/ns537/ns705/ns827/
white_paper_c11-520862.html

20. Intelligent devices such as notebooks
and laptops lead traffic growth
20
Cisco® Visual Networking Index (VNI)
Cisco. 2011. Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast
Update, 2010–2015.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns341/ns525/ns537/ns705/ns827/
white_paper_c11-520862.html

21. 21
Trends: IPv6
IPv6:
Will allow the Internet of Things
Will push IP to the edge of the network
More efficient that IPv4
More support for:
Data / user authentication
Data integrity
Data confidentiality
Etc.

22. 22
Trends: Broadband (1)
Passive networking:
Background streaming and downloading
from ambient / environmental video
sources: nannycams, petcams, home
security cams, etc.
Real time HD video:
Internet TV
Video communications: telepresence,…
Ambient video

23. 23
Trends: Broadband (2)
High definition video
Transference: from TV to live HD
video on demand over the Internet
Silicon photonics and hybrid silicon
lasers:
Low cost, high bandwidth optical
communications will affect all connected
devices and networks

24. 24
Trends: Broadband (3)
Wireless broadband:
Exponential growth in traffic
Will outstrip the increased revenue
required to make it profitable
Technical solutions:
Offloading content to the Internet

25. 25
Trends: Cloud computing (1)
Allows for Grid computing applied to
environmental needs:
Access to super computing resources
Facilitates access to massive digital
data sets online (INPE – BR, Landsat,
etc.)
The Global Earth Observation System
of Systems (GEOSS)
Google Earth, Microsoft Virtual Earth,
etc.

26. 26
Trends: Cloud computing (2)
Computing on demand increasing in
popularity as broadband speeds rise
Can reduce energy use of a company
by moving cost to provider of Cloud
services
Can favour green energy sources as
fiber connected Cloud service centres
Linked to the Internet of Things
Collection of live environmental data
from embedded sensors in mesh nets.

27. 27
World map showing distribution of
ClimatePrediction.Net servers
See http://www.climateprediction.net/project.php

28. 28
Trends: Nanotechnology
Greater transistor density
More energy efficient chip designs
Enabling Moore’s Law for many years
to come
Will “increase transistor speed,
enhance energy efficiency, and
provide more functionalities”
Has allowed the miniaturization of
computer memory.
This has made the Apple iPOD a reality.

29. 29
Trends: wireless (1)
Digitization of broadcasting signals
will open more spectrum:
Many new wireless channels, devices
and services
Near field communication & medium
and longer range technologies to
operationalize the Internet of Things
ZigBee, 6LowPAN, WirelessHART, etc.
c. Location aware (sometime GPS
enabled) mobile devices or objects

30. 30
Trends: wireless (2)
Augmented reality that is facilitated
through the use of wireless devices
The proliferation of wireless devices
enables social networking & vice
versa

31. 31
Trends: wireless (mobile)
Data from Cisco 2011 (Cisco® Visual Networking Index (VNI))
Mobile Data Traffic Nearly Tripled in
2010
Accelerated adoption of smartphones
 higher usage profile
Other high-usage devices increased
their presence on the mobile network
mobile-connected laptops grew by 63
percent in 2010
Mobile for fixed substitution is NOW!

32. Global Mobile Data Traffic by region
2010–2015 (Cisco VSN 2011)
Cisco® Visual Networking Index
(VNI)
32
Cisco® Visual Networking Index (VNI)
Cisco. 2011. Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, 2010–2015.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns341/ns525/ns537/ns705/ns827/white_paper_c11-520862.html

33. Devices with High Usage Profiles Are
Growing in Number on the Mobile
Network (Cisco VSN 2011)
Cisco® Visual Networking Index (VNI)
33
Cisco. 2011. Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, 2010–2015.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns341/ns525/ns537/ns705/ns827/white_paper_c11-520862.html

34. High-End Devices Can Multiply Traffic
Cisco® Visual Networking Index (VNI)
34
Cisco. 2011. Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, 2010–2015.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns341/ns525/ns537/ns705/ns827/white_paper_c11-520862.html

35. 35
Trends: wireless (mobile)
Data from Cisco 2011
Mobile beyond the power grid
Selling off grid charging: car batteries,
solar powered, etc.
Off-grid, on-net population will reach
137 million by 2015
Mobile network will break the
electricity barrier in 4 major regions
and more than 40 countries

36. 36
Trends: Innovations in display
technology
Multi-touch input, high definition
displays
Cisco identifies the expansion of
digital screen surface area and
resolution as being important drivers
of IP traffic growth
Scratch and break resistant glass:
Gorilla Glass, Dragontail Glass, etc.

37. Trends: GIS & related visualization
37
technologies
Increased use of GIS
If its visual, its easier to measure &
understand
Smartphones as visualization tools
Building information modeling (BIM)
software for building & city wide
energy analysis

38. Using Google Maps to help map the impact
38
of sea level rise on the coast of CA

39. Trends: Improved & greener batteries
39
(1)
Quest for low or portable power
sources and batteries
Self/ambient powered and/or power
harvesting devices for sensors, RFID &
other embedded devices.

40. Trends: Improved & greener batteries
40
(2)
Standard battery for all portable
devices (ITU)
Higher capacity energy storage
technologies for use in:
Smart grid
Electric vehicles

41. Trends: the Internet of Things (1)
Growth in machine to machine
(M2M) communications - a significant
opportunity for MNOs
41
M2M is driving exponential growth in
connections
Revenue from services to embedded
modems in M2M applications to grow
exponentially until at 2014

42. Trends: the Internet of Things (2)
42
GSM Association (GSMA) has
launched an “embedded SIM”
initiative to support the IOT
To speed up development of M2M
services
Make it easier to bring mobile
broadband to non-traditional devices:
cameras, MP3 players, navigation
devices and e-Readers & smart meters

43. Trends: the Internet of Things (3)
43
87 million embedded mobile M2M
connections last year
… will reach 428 million by 2014
Embedded SIM cards in mobile
phones / smartphones:
Allow users direct control over their
connections: ability to select carrier
networks of choice, bypassing MNOs,
Allow to connect to the Internet of
Things without MNO.

44. Trends: the Internet of Things (4)
44
Global revenues from IOT:
30 x higher than the Internet in the
smart transportation sector alone
(Forrester Research)
Governments have made significant
investments in IOT: EU, Japan,
South Korea, China, USA
In China: revenues from IOT will
reach 750 billion RMB (USD 112
billion) by 2015

45. Trends: the Internet of Things (5)
The number of devices connected to
the Internet: > 5 billion @ Aug. 2010
In an online presentation, an IBM
researcher reports that there will be
a trillion Internet connected devices
by 2011
A VP at Ericsson predicted that “50
billion connected devices are coming
to cellular networks in the next
decade”
45

46. 46
Trends: sensor technology (1)
Radio-frequency identification (RFID)
tags
Low power operating sensors
(energy harvesting motes)
Able to withstand harsh
environments
Self organizing, self configuring, self-healing

47. 47
Trends: sensor technology (2)
Low or zero maintenance
Bandwidth efficient
High data capacity
Many open standards are used, but
not all standardized. Many corporate,
i.e. proprietary technologies in the
market place
Efforts to standardize on IPv6
compliant IP (Contiki operating
system) micro stack

48. 48
Trends: sensor technology (3)
Sensors embedded in devices and
sensor nets (motes)
Smartphone / mobile device
Types of sensors:
Physical: T, P (altitude), density, motion
(accelerometers), light (cameras and
wavelength sensors – infra red –
thermal sensors, etc.), gravity, etc.

49. 49
Trends: sensor technology (4)
Types of sensors:
Chemical sensors evolving as well: wet
chemistry sensors more difficult (unless
in aqueous environment), gaseous
sensors easier to implement
Motion imagery surveillance
Wide Area Motion Imagery (WAMI)
Security application with environmental
uses

50. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs -1)
50
Tiny sensor “nodes” that collect &
relay data to a network of similar
nodes
Each node: sensor, microprocessor &
transceiver (radio)

51. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs -2)
51
Spatially distributed autonomous
sensors
That cooperatively monitor physical
&/or chemical parameters:
T, P, sounds, vibration, motion
Pollutants, gases,
Limited power
Energy saving communication
protocols
Short range

52. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs -3)
52
Applications
Homeland security
Monitoring of space assets for
potential and human-made threats in
space,
Ground based monitoring of both
land and water
Intelligence gathering for defense
Environmental monitoring
Urban warfare

53. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs -4)
53
Applications
Weather and climate analysis and
prediction
Battlefield monitoring and
surveillance
Exploration of the Solar System and
beyond
Monitoring of seismic acceleration
Strain
GPS data

54. 54
A commercially available sensor node
from Libelium
Libelium. 2011. Waspmote – The sensor device for developers. 20110202. http://www.libelium.com/products/waspmote

55. Sensing applications (commercial: Libelium)
55
[Libelium. 2011. Sensor boards. 20110202 http://www.libelium.com/products/waspmote/sensors

56. Schematic layers of a USN (Ubiquitous
56
Sensor Network)
ITU. 2008. Ubiquitous sensor networks (USN). ITU-T Technology Watch Report # 4. ITU, Geneva, 15 pp.
http://www.itu.int/oth/T2301000004/en

57. Korea's vision of the Internet of Things (1)
57
Kim, Y.-W. 2009. Korean visions and policies for the Internet of Things. Presented on occasion of RFOD Global Forum and the Internet of
Things.CASAGRAS, EU Framework 7 Peoject.
http://www.rfidglobal.eu/page.asp?pageid=28&pagegroup=RFID%20Global&pagetitle=Final%20Conference%20Presentations

58. Korea's vision of the Internet of Things (2)
58
Kim, Y.-W. 2009. Korean visions and policies for the Internet of Things. Presented on occasion of RFOD Global Forum and the Internet of
Things. CASAGRAS, EU Framework 7 Project.
http://www.rfidglobal.eu/page.asp?pageid=28&pagegroup=RFID%20Global&pagetitle=Final%20Conference%20Presentations

59. 59
HP CeNSE -
Hartwell, P. & Williams, R.S. 2010. CeNSE - Central Nervous System for the Earth. Spring 2010. Slideshare.
http://www.slideshare.net/hewlettpackard/hp-cense-sensor-networks-and-the-pulse-of-the-planet

60. 60
WSNs are a hot subject
Merret, G. V. and Y. K. Tan. 2010. Wireless Sensor Networks: Application Centric Design. Edited by Dr. Geoff V Merret and Dr. Yen Kheng
Tan (Wireless Sensor Networks: Application Centric Design Edited by Dr. Geoff V Merret and Dr. Yen Kheng Tan (Editor-in-Chief)Editor-in-
Chief). Published by InTech. Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia. http://www.intechopen.com/books/show/title/wireless-sensor-networks-
application-centric-design

61. Trends in the development of the Internet
61
of Things
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Internet_of_Things.png

62. Number of computing units shipped over
62
time
Braathe, E. 2010. Internet of Things and cloud computing. May 2010. RFID and the Internet of Things - Are you ready? International
Workshop – 10-11 May, Oslo, Norway. http://www.rfid-rnet.
com/Presentations_11_May_2010/E_Braathe_IBM_Workshop_IoT_Oslo_11_May_2010.pdf

63. Growth in data (exabytes) over time as a
63
result of the IoT
Braathe, E. 2010. Internet of Things and cloud computing. May 2010. RFID and the Internet of Things - Are you ready? International
Workshop – 10-11 May, Oslo, Norway. http://www.rfid-rnet.
com/Presentations_11_May_2010/E_Braathe_IBM_Workshop_IoT_Oslo_11_May_2010.pdf

64. 64
Trends: social networking (1)
3 types:
Imagery social nets
Gaming driven social nets
Interaction driven social nets.
Facebook, Twitter, chat, blogs and
other social networking applications
User generated content
Online content sharing including
video blogging (vlogging)

65. 65
Trends: social networking (2)
Human based computation :
Human flesh search (HFS) engine:
people powered search
Crowdsourcing for soliciting public
feedback using ICTs
Much used by environmental groups
for mobilizing & reporting
environmental observations &
infringements

66. 66
Impact of ICTs
Facilitating environmental
observation
ICTs consume energy and
greenhouse gases (GHGs)
Enabling effect: ICTs can enhance
the efficient use of energy and
reduce GHG emissions

67. ICTs for environmental observation
67

68. 68
ICT application categories (ITU)
ITU. 2008. ICTs for e-Environment Guidelines for Developing Countries, with a Focus on Climate Change. ICT Applications and Cybersecurity
Division, Policies and Strategies Department, ITU Telecommunication Development Sector. ITU, Geneva, 182 pp.

69. 69
ICTs for earth observation
Acquiring earth observation data
Recording & storing data
Data analysis & visualization

70. 70
Remote sensing (1)
Remote sensors (passive and
active):
Radio devices that derive environmental
information by analyzing received radio
waves.
Most of these sensors are on
platforms: satellites or airplanes
Space-based remote sensors are the
only tools that provide environmental
data on a long term, repetitive and
global scale.

71. 71
Remote sensing (2)
By far the most data on
environmental observation comes
from satellite based remote sensing
platforms

72. 72
Remote sensing (3)
Provide environmental data on a long
term, repetitive and global scale.
Radiocommunication systems based
on remote sensing play the major
role in weather and climate change
prediction.

73. 73
Remote sensing (4)
Remote sensing is the essential tool
for disaster prediction, detection,
disaster mitigation and planning of
relief operations.
Sensors are used for detection and
tracking of earthquakes, tsunamis
hurricanes, typhoons, floods, fires,
oil leaks, dangerous pollution, etc

74. Some important earth observation
74
systems
World Weather Watch (WMO)
Global Observing System (GOS -
WMO)
The Global Earth Observation System
of Systems (GEOSS)

75. The Global Earth Observation System
75
of Systems (GEOSS) - 1
Group on Earth Observations (GEO)
A partnership of govts & int. orgs.
Earth observations for decision
making
To link existing systems & bridge
gaps

76. The Global Earth Observation System
76
of Systems (GEOSS) - 2
To link existing systems & bridge
gaps
Connect users to data resources
Portals, Cloud enabled
GSDI (Global Spatial Data
Infrastructure) association

77. The Global Earth Observation System
77
of Systems (GEOSS) - 3
GEO Forest Carbon Tracking portal
now live
UN unveils new Global Risk Data
Platform
INPE reaches mark of 1 million
images distributed free

78. The Global Earth Observation System
78
of Systems (GEOSS) - 4
Earth System Atlas promotes access
to research data
Comprehensive Land Surface
Imagery now available via GEOSS
Accessing the Landsat archive
The UNEP Global Environment
Outlook Data Portal

79. 79
World Weather Watch systems
Vassiliev, A. 2009. Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Climate Change. ITU/WMO Seminar “Use of radio spectrum for
meteorology: weather, water and climate monitoring and prediction”. WMO Headquarters, Geneva, 16-18 September 2009.

80. 80
Global Observing System
WMO. 2010. Global Observing System (GOS). http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/OSY/GOS.html

81. 81
Conclusions
Real time and ongoing earth
observation possible
ICTs offer opportunities for:
Developing a much more precise &
accurate understanding of the natural
and human environments
For controlling our environment,
especially the built environment

82. Implications for the developing world
82
& Asia Pacific
Internet access & broadband
diffusion are key determinants
Much more understanding of
environmental issues in general & of
climate change especially
Many applications for climate change
adaptation are made possible by
these trends and technologies

83. 83
Discussion