Australian industry moves on greenhouse emissions

05.02.2007
Systems integrator and consulting firm Renewek Pty Ltd. is the first ICT (information and communications technology) company in Australia to take part in the federal government's A$2 billion (US$1.55 billion) national climate change strategy.

Recognizing that computer technology is a contributor to greenhouse emissions, Renewtek CEO Fergus Porter, said the industry has done very little to date to reduce the impact on the environment.

"We felt we should take the lead in doing something about it," Porter said.

Renewtek is the first IT company to go carbon neutral under the government's greenhouse friendly program and has developed a policy on sustainability and the environment.

Minister for the environment and heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, said to receive certification under the program Renewtek will monitor and report its emissions on an annual basis and take action to become more energy efficient.

"The company has been through a thorough process to figure out how many greenhouse gas emissions their services produced. It will then buy abatement from approved projects to offset its remaining emissions," Campbell said.