Green IT in the European public sector

Although green IT has been the subject of much debate and media coverage for the past few years, it is still only in the early stages of adoption by many European public sector organizations. Our research indicates that in the sector green IT initiatives are mostly carried out in an ad hoc and tactical manner to generate quick wins, either alongside or as an adjunct to other IT programs. While it is good to achieve immediate benefits from short term and ad hoc measures, a strategic and joined up approach would increase the scale of and the returns from green IT programs. Furthermore, the strategy should be incorporated into every government entity’s stated corporate, social, and environmental responsibilities to tie in with other ongoing and planned activities and to lay the foundations for continued action in the future. Costs of ‘going green’ and cultural barriers in the organizations are often cited by the sector as the biggest barriers to progress. Central governments have a key role to play in overcoming these challenges by pushing a strategic agenda for change. They can help by providing focus and leadership, setting objectives, and incentivizing the move to sustainable practices in IT.