Smart Computing for Environmental Issues in Australia

This report evaluates the issue of high carbon emissions in Australia and explores how smart computing technology can assist in addressing this issue. It discusses the lack of policies for monitoring and reporting carbon emissions and proposes the use of mobile applications and IoT sensors to track and reduce carbon footprint. The implementation of smart computing solutions can help Australia achieve its environmental-related sustainable development goals.

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Smart Computing

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Table of Contents
Introduction...............................................................................................................................2
Environmental Issues.................................................................................................................3
Smart Computing Solution.........................................................................................................4
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
Smart computing and digitally connected society play a major role in the achievement of
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and people can harness their benefits to achieve
these goals (Adams, Kewell and Parry, 2018). The benefit of smart computing is well
integrated with the SDGs into the 2030 agenda, which is not only limited to Goal 9 (Industry,
innovation and infrastructure). Through information and communication technology (ICT)
such as internet of things (IoT), robotics and cloud computing, major changes can be
brought to current operations that increase efficiency and drive economic growth of a
country by achieving SDGs (Wu et al., 2018). In the case of Australia, one of the key
challenges is the lack of environmental initiatives to reduce pollution and protect natural
resources, which makes it challenging for the country to achieve SDGs (Thwaites and Kestin,
2018). The objective of this report is to evaluate how smart computing technology can assist
in addressing this issue by transforming current processes to make sure that SDGs are
achieved within a reasonable timeframe. This report will evaluate the issue of high carbon
emissions by companies and people in Australia through Root Cause analysis and solution
will be given to transform the scenario by using smart computing.

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Environmental Issues
Australia has implemented a number of policies and started many initiatives which are
targeted towards achieving the sustainable development goals, and it has implemented
effective policies to address the issues relating to healthcare, education, employment and
others issues. However, the country is performing worse when compared with most
advanced countries in relation to the achievement of SDGs especially environmental related
goals (Thwaites and Kestin, 2018). As per the latest SDG Index, Australia is performing
relatively well in regards of good quality education and health and wellbeing practices;
however, it is among the worse in the results for environmental goals and climate change
(Thwaites and Kestin, 2018). Currently, the country is one of the world’s highest per capita
emissions of carbon dioxide as it produces 1.3 per cent of the world’s total greenhouse
gases with total 0.3 per cent world’s pollution (Australian Government, 2017). The energy
consumption in Australia is mainly coal power (70 per cent), which is used for generating
electricity. There are no nuclear or hydro power operations; however, the use of solar, wind
and wave power is increasing; however, the speed of change is very slow (Australian
Government, 2017).
As per the Root Cause analysis, this has become a major issue because the government has
not implemented any policies for companies and individuals to track their carbon emissions.
There are no policies that allow organisations to monitor their carbon emissions and make
reporting regarding the same so that the government could impose a carbon tax on them or
take any other actions to reduce their carbon emissions (Cox, 2019). Easy and accurate
reporting of carbon emissions of companies is considerably difficult in Australia, which
makes it difficult for the country to achieve Goal 13 (Climate Action). Due to the lack of
effective monitoring and strict provisions, the total emissions in Australia only declined by 7
per cent between 2005 and 2017, and this number actually increased during the period of
2016 and 2017 (SDSN, 2018). Although the government has taken steps for increasing
renewable energy sources; however, the carbon emissions of Australia are practically the
same now as they were in 2000.

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Smart Computing Solution
The lack of policies to monitor and report the carbon emissions of individuals and
companies, Australia is performing worse than other developed nations regarding the
achievement of environmental related SDGs. However, this issue can be resolved by the
implementation of effective smart computing solutions to make sure that companies and
individuals find it easier to reduce their carbon footprint (Klopp and Petretta, 2017). In this
regards, mobile applications can be developed that assist individuals and organisations in
tracking their carbon emissions to make sure that they have accurate information regarding
their carbon footprint (Klopp and Petretta, 2017). The Australian government can work with
mobile operators in order to develop smart applications and devices by using IoT technology
to make sure that users are able to track their carbon emissions. They can use sensors in
order to provide updates regarding air pollution in real-time to users that enable accurate
monitoring in the country (Wu et al., 2018). These applications should be a part of the smart
city initiative developed by the Australian government in which obligations should be
imposed on organisations and individuals to make sure that they submit periodic reports
regarding their greenhouse gas consumptions. This solution has been adopted by Glasgow, a
Scottish city, which has initiated a project by using IoT Sensors and mobile technology for
monitoring and reporting carbon emissions of parties throughout the city (Stackpole, 2017).
This solution is effective since it is an economic and efficient way of accurately reporting the
carbon footprint of parties that enable the government to implement policies regarding the
imposition of taxes or limiting the use of fossil fuel by specific parties.
In case this solution is adopted by the Australian government, then it will become possible
to track the carbon emissions of particular territories along with identification of parties that
are the key contributors of greenhouse gases in the environment. The government will be
able to formulate specific policies for territories which have the highest rate of carbon
emission rate (Kim, 2018). Large corporations such as mining and manufacturing that relies
on coal to power their sources will have to monitor their carbon emissions and make
reporting to the government through a mobile application which will make it easier for the
government to identify the pattern of carbon emissions by these companies. Based on this
data, the government will be able to formulate policies that are targeted towards
addressing this issue such as the imposition of a carbon tax or setting a limit for carbon

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emissions of companies (Lim and Taeihagh, 2018). People living in urban areas will also be
able to monitor their carbon emissions through sensors and mobile applications installed in
their smartphone, which will allow them to contribute to the protection of environmental
resources. The government should apply this smart computing solution in industrial and
enterprise areas, which will assist organisations to contribute to the protection of
environmental resources (Kim, 2018). Applications and sensors should be designed
especially for organisations that rely on fossil fuel to manage their operations, which will
allow them in ensuring that they did not exceed their carbon emissions over a specific limit.
The imposition of carbon tax based on greenhouse emissions by organisations will
encourage them to invest in renewable energy sources since it will save their costs in the
long run (Corbett and Mellouli, 2017). Organisations will be obligated to include the details
regarding their carbon emissions in their corporate social responsibility (CSR) report which
will create an obligation on the directors to answer to stakeholders regarding why they have
not taken any actions to limit their carbon emissions (Matisoff, Noonan and O’Brien, 2013).
Similarly, individuals will also likely to rely on public transportations and use renewable
energy sources in their households to avoid paying a carbon tax. The government will also
be obligated to monitor and report its carbon emissions, which will encourage it to change
its current operations to promote the use of renewable energy sources while conducting its
operations. Due to the ease and efficiency of mobile application and IoT sensors, cities in
Australia will become more environment-friendly, and it will reduce the threat of climate
change (Klopp and Petretta, 2017). Without the implementation of smart computing
solutions, it will be difficult for individuals, organisations and the government to monitor
and report the carbon emissions in Australia as shown by the current SDG Index; thus, this
solution will ensure that the company achieve environmental related SDGs on time.

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Conclusion
Based on the above observations, it can be concluded that Australia is facing a major issue
due to the high rate of environmental emissions, which makes it challenging for the country
to achieve SDGs. The government has failed to take corrective actions in order to implement
policies that assist in monitoring and reporting carbon emissions of individuals and
organisations that make it difficult to reduce greenhouse emissions in the country. However,
this issue can be resolved through mobile applications and IoT sensors that are installed in
the smartphones which allow users to monitor their carbon emissions in a real-time and
also reporting it to the government on a regular basis. This data will enable the government
in identifying the territories and organisations with the highest rate of carbon emissions that
is crucial to formulate policies to reduce those emissions. Based on this data, the Australian
government will be able to develop smart cities in which people and organisations will have
to pay a carbon tax and the government will also be able to set a limit for carbon emissions
released by individuals and organisations in the country. This smart computing solution will
assist Australia in achieving SDGs and reducing the negative impacts of climate change.

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References
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Australian Government. (2017) 2017 Review of Climate Change Policies. [Online] Available
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climate-change-policies-2017 [Accessed 29/05/2019].
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Cox, L. (2019) Australia's annual carbon emissions reach record high. [Online] Available at:
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Matisoff, D.C., Noonan, D.S. and O'Brien, J.J. (2013) Convergence in environmental
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