Special: Aiming to create a sustainable society

Global Environmental Challenges | Food and Energy Demand | The Social Impacts of Urbanization | Global Population Aging | The Digital Divide*2 | Cyber Attacks and Cyber Crime

Global Environmental Challenges

At around 7 billion, the global population imposes on the Earth an environmental burden that is 1.5 times what is thought to be sustainable. It is expected that this figure will have risen to 2.0 when the global population hits 8.4 billion in 2030. The capacity of our irreplaceable planet is not unlimited.

The Fujitsu Group is committed to using ICT ^*1 to help solve problems like the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for all of society, and protect natural capital.

*1 ICT: Information and Communication Technology

Food and Energy Demand

Throughout the world, one out of eight people suffers from malnutrition, and one out of nine, from water stress. By 2030, food demand will have risen by 50% (compared to 2008), even as water shortages worsen and production of biofuels rises.

The Fujitsu Group is moving forward with the application of innovative ICT in fields like supply/demand management and agriculture, which have not seen the intense application of ICT to date.

The Social Impacts of Urbanization

Across the world, 28 cities have populations of 10 million or more and around 500 have populations of 1 million or more. With the expectation that 60% of the global population will live in cities by 2030, traffic congestion, atmospheric pollution, energy management, and other problems will only worsen.

The Fujitsu Group, by using ICT to analyze massive amounts of data, will help to solve these linked problems.

Global Population Aging

People 60 or older comprise 30% of the population in Japan, and average 20% in advanced countries and 9% in developing countries. By 2030, figures of 37%, 29%, and 14%, respectively, are expected. Swiftly addressing medical and elderly care, social security, and other problems, therefore, will be critical.

The Fujitsu Group, leveraging know-how developed in Japan, will rise to the challenge of solving these problems on a global basis.

The Digital Divide ^*2

The number of Internet users, now at around 2.4 billion, is seen as rising to 6.6 billion by 2030. While many people are benefitting from ICT, there are concerns about the growing disadvantages to those who cannot, due to hurdles like age, handicaps, and economic circumstances.

The Fujitsu Group, in working to create a society where ICT is available for everyone, is moving forward with the construction of ICT platforms and development of access devices.

*2 Digital divide: The gap between people who have ready access to digital information resources and those who do not.

Cyber Attacks and Cyber Crime

Cyber attacks on key ICT infrastructure are a major threat. As the use of cloud-based services and smart phones continues to rise, cyber crime, which now affects 500 million people and causes over 100 billion dollars in damages annually, will only grow.

The Fujitsu Group, in its aim to help create an ICT society that is safe and secure, will continue to strengthen its cyber security measures.