The third meeting of the RSPG working group to help combat climate change (RSPG CC) was held last 2 June by videoconference. The group, co-chaired by Denmark (Robert Lindgaard) and Ireland (Rory Hinchy), was set up in 2019 and aims to identify and make proposals so that spectrum policies can eventually help counter effects of the changing climate.
The meeting was attended by about 25 participants representing member-states and the European Commission (EC). It was chaired by a member of the Danish delegation (Victor Lopez).
This meeting served to discuss for the first time the contributions of various drafters for the different topics the group selected to develop in the future RSPG report or opinion, which are the following:
Question 1: Identify climate change-related aspects within spectrum management.
Topic 1: Possibilities to decrease the GHG emissions of wireless technologies;
Topic 2: Possibilities for wireless solutions to help sectors (other than communications) become more environmentally friendly;
Topic 3: The need to protect spectrum usages relevant for monitoring climate change or gathering climate-related data;
Topic 4: EU Green Deal (summary of the issues relevant for the spectrum policy).
Question 2: How can spectrum management help combat climate change?
Topic 5: The legal basis for monitoring the climate protection measurements in spectrum management;
Topic 6: Possible administrative instruments for spectrum management and climate mitigation;
Topic 7: Discussion of possible issues associated with introducing climate protection aspects in spectrum management.
Due to the time of the meeting and the fact that it was being held remotely, the discussion of the text proposals was very brief and limited. The participants were asked to send written comments in the next two weeks.
Note that a rapporteur is still lacking for topic 4 (EU Green Deal) and for the items of topic 7, except for standardisation.
The meeting also served to discuss how the RSPG itself can improve its ecological footprint, a subject which, depending on the contributions eventually received, may lead to an RSPG report or the development of guidelines.
The next remote meeting of RSPG CC was pre-scheduled for 23 June (morning) or 2 July (afternoon) 2020.
