SAN JOSE, Calif. – April 23, 2012 – Reinforcing its commitment to the industrialization of the Internet, Cisco today announced the Industrial Ethernet (IE) 2000 switch series, a cornerstone product for the company’s Connected Industries business unit and industrial network offerings. The Cisco IE 2000 industrial switch series will help customers build intelligent networks for industrial automation, delivering highly secure, scalable connectivity from plant floor to enterprise network.

The Cisco IE 2000 switch series builds on the company’s enterprise networking expertise and existing Industrial Ethernet family of switches, delivering reliable and highly secure network connectivity to unique manufacturing environments. With the IE 2000 switch series, Cisco continues its leadership in providing intelligent networks that simplify the deployment of security, video and voice services for machine-to-machine communications on the manufacturing floor and industrial IP networks.

According to Cisco’s Visual Networking Index (VNI), by 2016, there will be nearly 2 billion machine-to-machine wireless connections – including GPS systems in cars and asset tracking systems in shipping and manufacturing sectors – demonstrating the need to more tightly connect and integrate devices, machines and vehicles with traditional enterprise networks. The resulting transition, which Cisco refers to as “The Industrialization of the Internet,” will accelerate the networking industry beyond the IT and service provider (SP) networks in industries such as manufacturing and transportation.

Cisco is uniquely positioned to address these new demands on industrial networks, which require a greater need for improved inter-connectivity across industrial equipment and enterprise networks. The Cisco IE 2000 switch series provides consistent network services between industrial networks and enterprise business applications, while also providing integrated security and better manageability – creating a truly intelligent network.

The Cisco IE 2000 industrial switch series also provides highly secure remote access and monitoring of automated systems and offers intelligent energy management with visibility into machine performance to help customers better manage costs. The IE 2000 industrial switch interoperates corporate and manufacturing floor networks in a cost-effective manner to deliver video and corporate applications to manufacturing plant floor.

The Cisco IE 2000 industrial switch portfolio will be formally unveiled at the Hanover Messe Industrial Automation trade fair beginning on April 23. Cisco will also be displaying (Hall 8, Stand D26) its complete line of industrial networking solutions from its Connected Industries business unit, including the Cisco switching solutions developed in collaboration with Rockwell Automation, showcasing switching solutions that enable faster deployment and reduced risk for manufacturing, oil and gas, mining, transportation and energy companies.

Cisco (2012). Cisco Brings Intelligent Networks to Industrial Automation; Unveils New Industrial Switch Series. Available at http://newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?type=webcontent&articleId=822031&sid=BAC-JsSynd [Accessed on: 02/05/2012]

August 23 , 2011

Ideas From You! The idea for the following feature story came from Pam Burke of Michigan. Thank you, Pam! Got a story idea for The Network, Cisco’s Technology News Site? Submit your idea to TheNetworkStoryIdeas@cisco.com

Large B2B companies are becoming increasingly adept at using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social networks to connect with prospects and build recognition for their products. However, even though 81 percent of B2B companies use social networks, the manufacturing industry is one sector that has been slow to adopt social media.

“Many manufacturers aren’t even online, let alone using social media,” said Jeffrey L. Cohen, Social Media Marketing Manager at marketing agency Howard, Merrell & Partners and Managing Editor at SocialMediaB2B.com. “But the few manufacturers using social media are getting value out of it to connect with prospects, customers, and partners.”

In 2011, 30 percent of global manufacturing companies plan to increase spending on social media and community marketing, according to a March report from Forrester Research titled Bigger B2B Marketing Budgets Come With Great Expectations. That compares with 53 percent of pharmaceutical companies and 50 percent of business and professional services companies.

What industries or companies are using social media well, and how are they doing it?

Most manufacturers know social media holds the promise to serve as a powerful marketing channel. So why have so few taken the plunge? The problem may lie in the way manufacturers traditionally approach marketing. Accustomed to focusing on RFP processes and lead generation tactics, most manufacturers “don’t think like brand marketers,” says Jeff Reinke, editorial director of Advantage Business Media’s Manufacturing Group.

“For decades, manufacturers have focused on internal initiatives to make their companies more competitive,” said Reinke. “But with ever-more competition from India and China, some manufacturers are starting to look at social media as a way to gain global recognition for their businesses.”

The other challenge manufacturers face in adopting social media is the very distributed, complex nature of manufacturing itself. If a manufacturer has 500,000 parts that end up in thousands of OEM products, how does it craft global messages to encompass all of those products?

To overcome this challenge, manufacturers can use social media to tell “stories” that indirectly promote their businesses, without getting into the details of individual parts or products.

“Early adopters are using social media to create educational or inspirational content, and that drives discussion within their industries that may eventually turn into sales leads,” said Cohen, who pointed to Corning’s A Day in the Life of Glass video as a B2B social marketing success. The video didn’t promote any one product, but by obtaining nearly 15 million views on YouTube, helped build awareness of Corning’s core business. Cohen also pointed to Boeing and GE as leaders in social media.

B2B marketers use social media to “showcase their expertise and build trusted relationships with prospects when they first start looking for information,” according to the Forrester report.

Some manufacturers have found creating their own social network, to which they invite employees, prospects, and partners, to be an effective communications tool. Baker Hughes, a manufacturing and services company in the oil industry, created an in-house social network using Cisco Pulse to connect collaborators worldwide, and others have expanded these networks externally.

Manufacturers ready to make social media a strategic part of their marketing and communications programs can follow a few simple best practices.

1. Get your house in order. Before you start a social media marketing program, make sure your website is modern, up-to-date, and communicates your company’s core messages. You don’t want to start generating conversation about your company and driving people to your website if it looks like it was created in 1998.

2. Stake your claims. The main social networking sites are Facebook (700 million users), LinkedIn (100 million users), and Twitter (175 million users). Start by creating profiles for your company on all of these sites, focusing especially on the B2B-focused LinkedIn. But don’t forget to research vertical social networks in your sector. There may be smaller communities and forums focused on your particular manufacturing industry, such as automotive, aerospace, energy, consumer electronics, machining, etc. Element14 is a popular social network for electronic design engineers working across various manufacturing sectors. MFG and ThomasNet are online RFP marketplaces for the global manufacturing industry that offer some community features.

3. Start by listening.Social media is a two-way street that not only allows you to publish content about your company or industry, but also gives you a chance to listen to your customers and prospects. Follow your customers on Twitter and “like” their Facebook Pages. Attend product and industry forums to hear your customers and prospects’ biggest concerns. Use free social media listening tools to get a sense of the overall “sentiment” about your company and the key issues in your industry.

4. Say something worthwhile. Don’t think of social media as a chance to sell your products, but as a place to provide value to your customers, prospects, colleagues, and partners. Create content that educates, such as how-to videos. Ask yourself, what are the main challenges in my industry and how can I create content that makes my customers’ lives easier? You can also create fun content that inspires, such as human stories about how your parts or materials end up in amazing products. Connect the dots between your company and a new jumbo jet, computer, car, or other consumer product. Great content makes potential customers notice your company.

5. Make sure it’s working. Social media marketing today is measurable, meaning you can track which content drove the most brand recognition, increased website traffic the most, or generated the most leads. Most of the social networks provide basic tracking tools to quantify leads, brand reach, and reputation, and there are other free measurement tools available. As the program grows, you might want to invest in some more robust social media analytics tools like Meteor Solutions, Radian6, or Lithium.

“The manufacturing industry has adapted to so many changes, and they will eventually adopt social media marketing,” Reinke said. “But they will do so at their own pace, and many will probably create their own social networks instead of just jumping into the public fray on Facebook and Twitter.”

The contents or opinions in this feature are independent and do not necessarily represent the views of Cisco. They are offered in an effort to encourage continuing conversations on a broad range of innovative technology subjects. We welcome your comments and engagement.

Cisco (2011). How Manufacturers Can Succeed with Social Media. Available at http://newsroom.cisco.com/feature-content?type=webcontent&articleId=461141 [Accessed on: 27/04/2012]

Used with the permission of http://thenetwork.cisco.com/.

Over the past three years, Shoreditch has seen an explosion in high-tech companies. In 2008, the area around the so-called Silicon Roundabout was home to just 15 of them. Today, drawn by cheap rents, good eateries and quick access to the financial district and airports, some 300 to 400 such companies have sprouted in the surrounding square mile. Despite the obvious differences, comparisons between digital Shoreditch and Silicon Valley are inevitable. But can another Silicon Valley really take root in the heart of a city as ancient, dense and complex as London?

How will tech hubs around the world evolve in the future?

Some major players are betting big that it can. Prime Minister David Cameron, seeing an opportunity to bolster Britain’s struggling economy, announced plans last November for a technology hub named East London Tech City in the area. And a Who’s Who of corporate titans including Facebook, Google, Intel, McKinsey and Vodafone have thrown their hats into the investment ring. For its part, Cisco has pledged $500 million over the next five years for Tech City and related initiatives across UK, with special focus on creating two innovation centers, an awards competition and what it calls a “national virtual incubator,” company officials say.

A Delicate Balance

The UK government is encouraging the cluster in a number of ways, from stepping up efforts to introduce a new, streamlined “entrepreneur visa,” updating intellectual property laws for the Internet age, and introducing an enterprise investment scheme to make it easier for people to invest in small companies.

“They’re trying to do lots of things to make it work,” says David Bott, director of innovation programs with the Technology Strategy Board, a government-backed UK agency that’s trying to expand the hub.

Earlier this year, the board launched a contest to help startups in the area get funding. Attracting some 220 companies that submitted their ideas in the form of video pitches, the Tech City Launchpad competition narrowed the field to a shortlist of 18. Each of these was awarded provisional grants of £100,000 contingent on them securing matching funds within 12 months, then invited them to pitch to leading venture capitalists, business angels and other potential investors.

“There were some brilliant companies in the room,” Bott says, adding that the next couple of years will be critical. “If government is too heavy-handed and throws around ‘big government’ attitudes, Tech City’s growth may stutter,” he says. “If they get bored and go away, it will probably go on growing but not as fast, so government has to walk a tightrope. So far, they seem to have the balance right.”

Cisco Thinking BIG

Backers hope Tech City will get a turbo charge from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, set to take place at a brand-new complex called the Olympic Park a short distance east of Shoreditch. Cisco is sponsoring the Games as official network infrastructure provider, but the company’s contribution will continue long after the closing ceremony and will directly affect the Shoreditch cluster, says Russell Craig, a member of the public sector practice of Cisco’s Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG).

Cisco’s contribution has two pillars, one being its $500 million, five-yearinvestment program, dubbed “BIG” (British Innovation Gateway). As part of this, Cisco is creating an innovation center in Shoreditch that will open in 2012, and aims to establish another at the Olympic Park to open after the Games, Craig says. The company will also hold five annual open innovation competitions in UK based on its existing iPrize contest, and will build a “national virtual incubator”–think a network of Cisco TelePresence-equipped institutions focused on nurturing innovation.

The second pillar is a major UK-wide education initiative designed to encourage student proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math, Craig says. Both pillars come under Cisco’s “Building a Brilliant Future” program, which focuses on the legacy Cisco will leave as a result of its sponsorship of the Games. “We don’t want some static legacy of technology that will become outdated,” says Craig, who leads BIG. “We want a living legacy.”

While Cisco’s efforts are designed to support innovation and growth across the UK, a main focus for the networking giant and other high-tech companiesis the East London area. The hope is that the state-of-the-art infrastructure, sports facilities, office space and housing left vacant when the athletes depart the Olympic Park will further boost development of Tech City into one of the top digital clusters in Europe and perhaps the world.

“We think the smart city business is a pretty significant global market and the UK needs to step up and become a player in that marketplace,” Craig says, referring to the multi-billion-dollar market for what Cisco calls Smart+Connected Communities.

A New Model for Innovation Clusters

A lot needs to happen for East London Tech City to live up to its promise. Bott says there’s not even decent broadband infrastructure–a basic ingredient of any smart community–in Shoreditch. But he predicts there could be as many as 1,000 startups in the area within a few years.

“It will be the place where you go to start a digital media-related company,” he says. “The coffee will be the best in town, the restaurants will be chic and it will be a really interesting place to work. I think it’s probably unstoppable as a cluster. The question is, can it achieve global status?”

Perhaps Tech City’s chances of becoming another Silicon Valley are greater if it extends, post-Games, to include the Olympic Park development. But Craig says comparisons with Silicon Valley, which emerged over a period of 20to 30 years in a pre-globalized world, may be misplaced.

By contrast, he says, innovation clusters today can expand at a greatly accelerated pace due to the digital economy, the network revolution, the rise of a global mindset and the ability of startups to operate globally, among other factors. Underscoring the point, he says Cisco is currently looking at dozens of innovation opportunities around the globe in its efforts to develop high-tech clusters.

“Silicon Valley is not the model for the future–at least not here,” he says.

Either way, Cisco has high hopes for Tech City and BIG. Ideally, Craig says, the cluster will produce the first billion-dollar, high-tech company to emerge in the UK and stay there, as well as tremendous new investment opportunities for Cisco, a higher level of innovation in business across the UK and an enhanced profile for Cisco in the UK.

“One thing we’re not short of is ambition,” Craig says. “It’s nice to have the license from the company to really step up and knock one out of the park.”

The contents or opinions in this feature are independent and do not necessarily represent the views of Cisco. They are offered in an effort to encourage continuing conversations on a broad range of innovative technology subjects. We welcome your comments and engagement.

Used with the permission of http://thenetwork.cisco.com/.

Cisco (2011). A Silicon Valley in the Heart of London? Available at http://www.reuserecycleit.co.uk/news/wp-admin/post-new.php[Accessed on: 1/11/2011]

LONDON, 8 September 2011 – With tickets going on sale tomorrow for the London 2012 Paralympics, a survey commissioned by Cisco, official network provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, has revealed that the Sport is set to play a key part in highlighting diversity in Britain.

Recent events, including the triumph of South African ‘blade runner’ Oscar Pistorius, who became the first ever Paralympian to win an able-bodied Championship medal at the World Athletics Championships 2011 in South Korea, has helped raise awareness of the London 2012 Paralympics and the benefits it can bring to the UK.

77% of those surveyed believe that hosting the 2012 Paralympics in London will help increase the level of understanding around physical disability in sport. A high majority also saw the Paralympics as playing an important role in shaping the UK’s understanding of all types of diversity in the future.

79% agreed that the Paralympics could play an important role in championing diversity of all types including age, race, gender, background, disability, religion and sexuality. Additionally, half the respondents (49%) agreed that more could be done in their community and workplace to promote diversity.

Diversity in the workforce

When looking at the current levels of understanding of diversity – specifically in the workforce -69% of people said they were not aware of any strategy by their employer to promote diversity in the workplace. Unsurprisingly therefore, 44% agreed that their place of work was not currently representative of a diverse workforce of any type.

Nikki Walker, senior director of Inclusion, Diversity and Sustainability at Cisco said:”The Paralympics is a real opportunity to open people’s minds and change perceptions of what people with disabilities are able to do. It’s a platform that employers can use to communicate the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace, enabling more people to live, work and play together.”

Tips for building an Inclusive and Diverse workforce

Talent – It’s not just about creating a gender, age or race balance; it is about having the best talent. Embrace the different skills, backgrounds and personalities of a diverse workforce and watch your company grow
Innovation is key- With an inclusive culture, businesses can tap into a diversity of perspectives and differentiate itself in the market by truly understanding its customers
Engage the majority -Focus on cultural change and ‘engaging the majority’ in building an inclusive organisation, rather than just concentrating resources on minorities, employee groups or gender in isolation
Open communication and leadership – Encourage all employees to have a voiceand reap the rewards of multiple ideas and viewpoints
Embrace technology – Link different geographical cultures together by making the best use of technology like Cisco TelePresence®, allowinglife-size, real-time interaction with people who may be located thousands of miles away

The London 2012 Paralympic Games will see more athletes than ever competing. 4,200 competitors from 150 countries, including 300 from Great Britain will take part and activity is already underway to help build excitement across the country. Today’s International Paralympic Day 2011, held in Trafalgar Square, will showcase the 20 Paralympic sports at London 2012, enabling the public to find out more about next year’s Games.

Cisco (2011)London 2012 Paralympic Games set to champion understanding of a more diverse Britain. Available at http://newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?type=webcontent&articleId=468891 [Accessed on: 9/9/2011]

The Cisco Business Heroes Barometer¹, published today, follows the recent announcement of winners from Cisco’s nationwide search for Britain’s most resilient SMEs and revealed a highly productive sector – 44 per cent of whom increased their revenues in the last 12 months. Moreover, two-thirds of UK SMEs (66 per cent) are optimistic about their prospects for 2011.

Small businesses have been quick to recognise that when it comes to recovery, their size does matter. Owners and directors of SMEs say that flexibility (56 per cent), agility (54 per cent) and better customer service (49 per cent) make them better able to prosper during a downturn than their larger counterparts.

Promisingly, 41 per cent of the UK’s small businesses are beginning to recognise the opportunities that London 2012 will present for them as momentum begins to build up for the Games next year, and 39 per cent recognise the role it will play in kick-starting the UK economy.

David Critchley, Cisco UKI director of Small and Medium Enterprises, said: “True grit is all about toughness and tenacity, and the UK’s small businesses have this in bulk. That almost half of SMEs increased their revenues in 2010, amidst talk of nothing but austerity is testament to their role as the engine room of the economy.”

Other highlights from the research, which defined Business Heroes as those SMEs that increased revenues in the last 12 months, showed that successful SMEs are those that:

Invest in people – 73 per cent intend to recruit more staff in 2011; 74 per cent intend to invest more in training and development.
Embrace technology – 55 per cent intend to invest in information technology and networking infrastructure in 2011; 35 per cent intend to invest in video conferencing and multimedia communications, and 25 per cent intend to invest in cloud computing or open source software.
Recognise the importance of flexibility – 72 per cent plan to invest in technology to support mobile or flexible working arrangements.
Connect digitally – 56 per cent monitor what their customers are saying about them via social media; 49 per cent are using social media to support sales and marketing activity.

“Our Business Heroes campaign has uncovered some amazing businesses that have shown inspiring confidence and fighting spirit, which is exactly what we need to embrace across the economy.” concludes Critchley.

The research was commissioned alongside Cisco’s Business Heroes Awards, a search for the UK’s most resilient SMEs, across six categories: True Grit, New Kid on the Block, Technovator, Green King, Mumpreneur and Borderless Business.

“Continued uncertainty in the economy means that trading conditions are very tough at the moment. We have learned how to respond to such challenges and uncertainties to ensure that we strengthen the business year on year,” concurs Louisa Moger, marketing director at Richard Edward, winner of the True Grit category. “To be recognised for our resilience by Cisco is testament to the drive of all those involved in the business and indicative of the UK small business community.”

Cisco (2011) UK SMEs Believe They Hold the Key to Economic Recovery in 2011. Available at http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2011/prod_031511.html?sid=BAC-JsSynd [Accessed on: 18/4/2011]

Cisco C-Series Switches are compact versions of the Cisco Catalyst 3560-X Series and 2960-S Series, with the same functionality, OS and management capabilities as their wiring-closet brethren, and are roughly half the size of an Xbox console. Cisco C-Series Switches enable the deployment of highly secure advanced customer services, including unified communications, wireless access, IP video and other applications in wiring-, space-, and power-constrained environments. With Cisco’s industry-first pass-through Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability, the C-Series Switches eliminate the need for access to power outlets and dramatically reduce cabling complexities and overall infrastructure requirements.

* Caters to a wide variety of industries. Just as Cisco’s Industrial Ethernet 3000 and 3010 Series Switches provide much-needed connectivity in harsh manufacturing environments, such as those subject to extreme temperature fluctuations, vibrations, and other challenging conditions, so the Cisco Catalyst C-Series Switches are designed to enable the agile delivery of network services in environments where unique wiring challenges would otherwise require the disruption of regular business operations. Such environments include those in:
o retail (point of sale, kiosk, checkout counter and warehouse)
o education (classroom, dormitory and laboratory)
o health care (doctor’s office, patient check-in counter, exam room and labs)
o hospitality/entertainment (hotel room, cruise ship cabin, conference room, and slot machine floor or other gaming area)
o offices (FSI trading turret, Shared/Temp workspace, Japan desk island, German work cube)
* Dramatically reduces cabling costs. C-Series Switches eliminate the need for expensive individual cable drops for network endpoints and the wiring complexities of running cables to locations far from the wiring closet — for example, check-out kiosks at the front of a big-box store.
* Enables flexible device placement for deployment anywhere, at anytime. C-Series Switches can be deployed up to 100 meters away from the wiring closet. They are sleek and quiet (fanless) and can be installed on or underneath desktops and countertops or on walls. New devices can be quickly added without requiring additional cable drops.
* Eliminates the need for power outlets for the switch itself and for IP devices, via industry-first Pass-through PoE. Pass-through PoE technology powers Internet Protocol devices in locations without access to power outlets. Cisco C-Series Switches can draw power from an upstream (PoE+/PoE-capable) switch or a router in the wiring closet, to power itself and to drive power downstream to the IP devices connected to it.
* Delivers unparalleled security. When devices are deployed far from the wiring closet, protecting them from unauthorized user or device access, eavesdropping, or theft becomes a unique challenge. The C-Series Switches set themselves apart from other solutions with Cisco TrustSec, the industry’s most comprehensive network security solution. With Cisco TrustSec:
o Network data remains protected because all packets between the switch and the end device are encrypted right at the source. This is a unique solution from Cisco.
o Strict security policies can be implemented based on user IDs, organizational roles, and device types –another unique solution from Cisco. This enables highly secure and flexible collaboration between users anywhere on the network.
o Malicious users can be proactively blocked from eavesdropping on the conversation or data transmission between two endpoints.
o Theft of the switch and unauthorized access to the cables can be prevented with an optional security lock and cable guard.
o The C-Series Switches are also PCI-compliant, making them ideal to help ensure regulatory compliance for payment transactions.
* Reduces energy costs. Cisco EnergyWise technology delivers the capability to monitor, manage and reduce the energy consumption of the devices connected to the switch. Devices can be turned off and powered down when they are not needed, allowing businesses to generate additional cost savings.
* Simplifies setup and unifies network management. The C-Series Switches feature Cisco Catalyst Smart Operations for “zero touch” setup and quick troubleshooting, and Cisco Auto Smartports for automatically configuring the switch based on the types of devices that connect to it. Automatic quality of service enables state-of-the-art QoS implementation for IP telephony and video with just one command. Cisco’s unique quality of service guarantees consistent voice and video quality even in the face of high network traffic. The C-Series Switches can be remotely managed along with the switches in the wiring closet, significantly reducing setup and management costs by not requiring teams of IT experts on call.

The Cisco Catalyst C-Series switches are on display this week in the Cisco booth (2529) at the National Retail Federation’s 100th Annual Convention & Expo at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City this week.

Cisco (2011) Cisco Evolves Catalyst Switch Family to Deliver Highly Secure, Cost-Effective Network Connectivity Outside the Wiring Closet. Available at http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2011/prod_011011.html [Accessed on: 11/1/2010]

Trouble is, it hasn’t always worked that way. For users, rich-media and video-collaboration experiences have been less-than-optimal.

For businesses, some of the expected ROI hasn’t yet been realized, and deploying desktop virtualization has required a somewhat complex process of integrating components from multiple vendors.

Sherburne’s Role

Enter Phil Sherburne. A former engineer at the famed Bell Labs, Sherburne is now vice president for Cisco’s enterprise architecture and systems team. Grounded in voice technology and unified communications, he led the technical team for what is now Cisco’s desktop virtualization system, Virtualization Experience Infrastructure (VXI).

Work on VXI got started about a year ago after Sherburne spent time talking with sales teams and customers. He and others realized that Cisco had what was needed to tackle the problems in existing desktop virtualization systems.

Why Cisco? “If you separate the physical device from the logical desktop, what you have in between is the network,” Sherburne explains.

Sherburne figured that if engineers could combine the company’s networking expertise with technical strengths in areas like video, collaboration and unified communications, they just might come up with the answer.

Anywhere on Any Device

That answer was VXI. The system, which will be delivered as a series of releases, ties together elements from Cisco’s three enterprise technology architectures – data center/virtualization, Borderless Networks and collaboration – to address current desktop virtualization issues.

Cisco’s Unified Computing System, for example, helps reduce costs because it significantly increases the number of virtual desktops that can be hosted on each server. VXI also integrates rich media and video collaboration capabilities – without compromising user experiences.

Engineers also developed two simple and compact end-point devices – one that that neatly fits into the back of Cisco’s 8900/9900 series phones and a second that looks like an ultra-miniature desktop computer. Known as Virtualization Experience Client (VXC) 2100 and 2200, these are the first such devices powered by Ethernet.

For his part, Sherburne is excited about the possibilities.

“You’ll have this simple experience of being able to access your desktop wherever you are from whatever device you’re on,” he says. “For IT, it simplifies management, reduces cost and improves data security.”

Cisco (2010) Innovators: Phil Sherburne on Cisco Desktop Virtualization. Available at http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2010/ts_121410.html [Accessed on: 15/12/2010]

More proactive government policies could generate an extra $546bn of investment in clean energy, report finds

Current policies among the world’s richest 20 nations will result in $546bn (£348bn) less being invested in clean energy by 2020 than is needed to prevent dangerous climate change, according to a new report.

The report also predicts that the UK will become a much more significant investor in green technology globally, increasing its spending by 260% over the next decade. But despite this boost to renewable energy and other green industries, the authors believe that India will nudge ahead of the UK into third place by 2020.

On a business-as-usual basis, $1.7 trillion (£1.08tn) would be invested globally in renewables like solar and wind, biomass and other low-carbon forms of electricity generation over the next decade.

According to a report carried out by Bloomberg New Energy Finance for Pew Charitable Trusts, this would still be $546bn short of the investment which more proactive government policies on climate change by the G20 countries would bring about globally. “Enhanced” policies such as fixing a price on carbon and tough restrictions on power stations’ emissions are seen as key to restricting a rise in temperatures to no more than 2C.

The report shows how much money Asian countries – particularly China and India – are expected to pour into clean energy regardless of what policies are adopted. Under the “enhanced policy scenario”, China, which last year became the world’s biggest investor in clean energy, is expected to triple spending over the next decade to over $90bn (£57bn) per year by 2020, with more than half going on wind power. Chinese spending is forecast to be almost twice that of the second biggest spender, the US. Mature markets where renewables have enjoyed significant investment for some time, such as Germany, are expected to see investment levels decline over the decade.

The UK is set to keep up with soaring investment, having traditionally lagged its continental counterparts despite its ample wind and marine energy potential. Stronger government support has belatedly kick-started investment in green technology, catapulting the UK to the world’s third biggest spender on renewable energy last year thanks to a surge in financing for North Sea offshore windfarms. Under the enhanced policy scenario, annual investment could grow by 260% by 2020 according to the report, with a total of $134bn being spent over the decade and $22bn in the year 2020.

Even so, the UK will be overtaken by India by 2020, which was ranked 10th last year but is forecast to rise to third by the end of the decade, behind China and the US, making it the world’s faster growing spender. The UK would be pushed back to fourth place in all three scenarios – based on existing policies, implementing pledges committed to at the Copenhagen summit last year and enhanced policies.

The Guardian (2010) Global investment in renewables to total $1.7 trillion by 2020. Available at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/08/global-investment-renewables [Accessed on: 8/12/2010]

The best guess is that it will have reduced all UK emissions by much less than 1% during 2010.

The campaign, launched last September, has no systems in place to gather useful, credible data on what its signatories are collectively achieving. It prefers to emphasise its success in raising awareness about reducing CO2.

Strategy director Duncan Clark says 10:10 has made “carbon cutting cool and inclusive for the first time”.

He says it is unfair to judge 10:10’s success by how much it reduces UK emissions, or to expect the campaign to audit its pledgers’ CO2 cuts.

“It’s about establishing a coalition big enough to redefine the narrative and create political space for serious change.”

But what about what it says on the tin: 10% by 2010? Surely it is reasonable to expect the campaign to assess what difference it is making to CO2 emissions?

10:10’s response is that if it had demanded that all pledging organisations underwent a carbon audit, then far, far fewer would have signed up to its campaign in the first place. It wanted low barriers to entry.

That is understandable. But it could at least have committed to some kind of sampling prodedure to come up with a credible estimate of what its signatory organisations were achieving.

10:10 estimates that the pledges it had received from organisations and businesses by mid-2010 would deliver an emissions reduction of 500,000 tonnes of CO2.

That ‘back of the envelope’, unaudited figure is equivalent to a little under one tenth of 1% of current UK emissions.

As for the 74,000 plus individuals in the UK who have signed up to the campaign, 10:10 is not asking them to report their emissions. It has, however, surveyed a sample of them.

Mr Clark says the findings suggest “most 10:10ers are cutting their carbon and believe they are on track to fulfil or exceed their 10% pledge”. But this survey did not include any quantitative research on their emissions.

While continuing to emphasise personal carbon cutting action, the campaign now wants to focus more on changing government policy. The ‘Lighter, Later’ campaign to change UK time is its first shot.

Here, too, it has succeeded in winning lots of media coverage and grabbing the public’s attention. But there is no guarantee that bringing the clocks forward one hour from the current regime will reduce UK CO2 emissions.

The latest estimate for the electricity savings the change would deliver, from Cambridge University’s engineering department, suggests a cut of 450,000 tonnes a year. Again, that is less than 0.1% of total UK emissions.

If emissions are to be reduced as quickly and as deeply as climate science suggests is needed, then people and organisations will have to take responsibility for cutting their carbon. Government policy alone is probably not enough. Besides, individual, voluntary action strengthens the mandate for strong policy.

So Britain really needs something like 10:10. The failure of the UK’s big green NGOs to create an effective mass voluntary movement has been disappointing.

Today we hear little about the Stop Climate Chaos coalition, their attempt to create such a body which launched in 2005 (ENDS Report 368, pp 43-45).

When the brave new 10:10 campaign sprung up out of nowhere last September, it raised high hopes.

Fourteen months on, it would be good to see more hard evidence of some carbon cutting walk and a little less talk.

Ends Report (2010) 10:10 campaign needs a firmer grasp on carbon numbers. Available at http://blogs.endsreport.com/carbonandenergy/2010/11/10/1010-campaign-needs-a-firmer-grasp-on-carbon-numbers/#more-540. [Accessed on: 17/11/2010]

Arnold Schwarzenegger used one of his last big moments as California’s governor to rally regional and business leaders on climate change today, saying that together they had the muscle to force national governments to act.

At the opening of his third and last climate summit, Schwarzenegger said leaders could learn from California’s example as an environmental pioneer.

“I know that together we can usher in a new era and build a cleaner and brighter, more prosperous future, so I say: let’s do it,” Schwarzengger told the summit at the University of California at Davis.

The two-day summit is one of his final opportunities to shore up his reputation as California’s green governor. His successor, Democrat Jerry Brown, takes over in January. Schwarzenegger plans to drive home the message tomorrow with the launch of his R20 partnership of regional and business leaders, which aims to function like a financial matchmaking service, finding investors from the World Bank and private corporations for renewable energy projects in developing countries. The UN climate chief and the state department have endorsed the programme. The governor is also expected to announce a conservation agreement covering 20% of the world’s tropical forests in 14 US states and Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico and Nigeria.

The two-day summit, which brings together US, Canadian and international leaders along with celebrities such as Harrison Ford and Deepak Chopra, was perfectly timed to show up the fragility of green reforms: it comes just two weeks after Republican victories in the mid-term elections shut off prospects for action on global warming in Washington.

Global leaders will gather in Cancun later this month for the UN’s climate conference. But after the collapse of last year’s summit at Copenhagen, they have warned that there is scope only for limited agreements on climate finance issues.

But Schwarzenegger told the summit to press on. “I’m sure that many of you of course were discouraged and wondered, ‘What does it all mean for our environmental movement here? Is this a vision of a clean energy future, or is it a fairy tale?’” he said.

But he said California had offered signs of encouragement. Californians voted by more than a 20% margin last month to reject a ballot initiative that would have rolled back the state’s landmark climate law. The scale of that victory demonstrated that climate change had outgrown the old categories of being seen as a Democratic issue or a Republican issue and was now a much broader concern.

He went on to say that the “green revolution” was under way from Norway to China: “The science is on our side, the economy is on our side, the people are on our side.” he said.

Several of yesterday’s speakers picked up on Schwarzenegger’s main theme – that action by state governments and business leaders could make up for some of the failures by national governments.

A number also took digs at the failed efforts by Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress to pass a sweeping climate change law.

“Maybe we don’t have to say we have got to have a big comprehensive solution,” said George Schultz, secretary of state under the first George Bush and a key adviser to Schwarzenegger. “Let’s say let’s do a little of this and a little of that.”

The Guardian (2010) Arnold Schwarzenegger demands action at final climate summit. Available at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/16/arnold-schwarzenegger-climate-change-summit. [Accessed: 17/11/2010]