The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)-Business Council and software industry lobby group Nasscom launched on Thursday a report on using information and communication technology (ICT) for meeting goals of climate change and environment sustainability.

"The report, 'Sustainable Tomorrow: Harnessing ICT Potential' is an attempt to bring together the entire ecosystem of users and providers of IT applications and services that can help meet the goals of climate change and environment sustainability," Nasscom President Som Mittal said here.

The report recognises the potential of ICT sector and largely focuses on cost effective product enhancement. It also emphasises the role played by ICT in reducing India's energy requirements by encouraging practices that promote a healthier environment without impeding the economic growth.

"The rapid growth of the ICT sector in India makes it imperative that future activities in this field fully meet the objectives of sustainability and social responsibility," TERI Director-General RK Pachauri said.

Mittal said in the last decade, ICT has helped India improve its efficiency and contributed to better governance, thereby, changing India's image globally.

"There is immense scope for IT industry and its members to enable customers across verticals to harness green technologies and practices, and create new models for a low-carbon, energy efficient economy," he added.

The report points out examples like the IT-BPO sector, which is increasingly focusing on issues such as energy conservation and utilising IT to reduce the carbon footprint, enhance efficiency and business capabilities, improve productivity and preserve the environment.

These include facility management through green buildings, energy efficient cooling and water management and IT infrastructure management through green data centre, e-Waste Disposal etc.

Other steps include energy audits, sustainability reporting, carbon disclosure etc.