The Royal Society Discussion Meeting on 17 March in London will be lead by Professor Andy Hopper, Head of The University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory, who will speak for the first time about his vision for 'Computing for the Future of the Planet'. The presentation will focus on a number of new research projects underway at the Computer Laboratory that explore how advances in computing and communications can help save the environment and improve the way we live.

"Evidence such as high levels of CO2, rising species extinction and an ever growing global population suggest that we have reached a tipping point for change," explains Professor Hopper.

"We believe that computing has a vital and fundamental part to play if we are to improve the future prospects for our planet. But it's not purely about being more eco-friendly and reducing carbon footprints. The goal of our research is to deliver other tangible benefits at the same time, such as cost savings and improvements to the way we spend our work and leisure time."

The Computing for the Future of the Planet research initiative aims to find practical solutions to major problems such as traffic congestion, pollution, sustainable manufacturing and power consumption, through the application of computing technologies combined with other disciplines including, materials science, biology, economics and environmental science.

Teams such as the University of Cambridge Computer Lab are focussing on four major goals. The first looks at optimising digital infrastructures so that appliances only consume the power they need when they need it. The second is developing computing techniques used for creating models to simulate environmental trends such as global warming to make consistent and reliable predictions.

The third initiative involves harnessing more information from many different sources and sensors in order to monitor and understand our changing environment and optimise our use of resources. And the final strand of research looks at how a major shift from physical to digital operations can take the strain off of the environment.

Details of the event are available at: http://royalsociety.org/