Scientists announced last month that 2014 was the planet’s warmest year on record, sparking renewed debate in Washington about the causes of global warming and what to do about it. But global warming isn’t just a political issue, it’s an IT issue as well.
No matter what your personal beliefs are, IT execs would be remiss if they didn’t think about global warming in the context of disaster recovery, just as you would if your company were located in a region prone to hurricanes or earthquakes. And beyond that, global warming could present an opportunity for you to lead your company into new growth areas.
“I’m not here to say whether global climate change is happening or not,” says Whit Andrews, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner. “Natural disasters occur regardless of global climate change. Whether anthropogenic or not, business opportunities are there regardless of the cause. Instead, companies should recognize that this creates opportunities to create products and services that were not there previously.”