 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
|
 |
| World Standards Day |
|
|
|
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Islamabad
World Standards Day would be celebrated on October 14 with the aim to raise awareness among regulators, industry and consumers as to the importance of standardisation to the global economy.
The day was specifically chosen to mark the date, in 1946, when delegates from 25 countries first gathered in London and decided to create an international organization focused on facilitating standardization.
Even though ISO was formed one year later, it wasn’t until 1970 that the first World Standards Day was celebrated. Each year, ISO determines a theme based on a current aspect of standardization.
The day to pay tribute to the efforts of thousands of experts worldwide who collaborate within IEC, ISO and ITU to develop voluntary International Standards that facilitate trade, spread knowledge and disseminate technological advances.
In its groundbreaking report published in 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) cited technical standards, like those published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), as a means of mitigating climate change now, while offering the potential to reduce its effects in the future as new technologies are developed and mature.
This message is also at the core of this year’s theme for World Standards Day on 14 October: “Tackling climate change through standards”. Increasing human activity, increasing greenhouse gas emissions are raising the earth’s average temperature and consequences have an impact on climate change. Experts and scientists agree to say that a dramatic climate change would have enormous developmental, economic, social and environmental stresses on our planet.
The World Standards Day message is signed by the leaders of the three principal international standardization organizations: Mr. Jacques R gis, President of the IEC, Dr. Alan Morrison, President of ISO, and Dr. Hamadoun Tour , Secretary-General of ITU. A portfolio of adaptation and mitigation actions is required to reduce the risks of climate change. International standards are tools to address this challenge.
The three leaders point out: “The three global organizations are coordinating their work to ensure that government, business and society are provided with the necessary tools to help combat global climate change and to support the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by increasing energy efficiency, while facilitating sustainable development.” The three leaders conclude their message: “Standards from the IEC, ISO and ITU offer the world’s governments and industry the best possible benchmarks to be referenced in any policy making decisions or future climate treaties. The three organizations are working together with other international organizations to ensure that participants at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference on 7-18 December 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark, will be fully aware of the solutions offered by existing and future International Standards.”
|
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
