Given its scientific nature, the journal CLIMATE CHANGE & CIRCULAR ECONOMY: Telecommunications and ICT, gives priority to the following types of articles: original research results, experimentation, states of art that include exhaustive reserves of literature, case studies, when they mean a contribution to knowledge either through the application of innovative methodologies or techniques and/or through the formulation of new research hypotheses.

The focus areas of the journal are:

1. Framework of Policies and Regulation of Climate Change and the Circular Economy in the Telecommunications, Information Technology and Communications (Telecommunications and ICT) sector.

National and Global Policies and Regulations play a key role in efforts to combat the effects of climate change, which is why the international community has adopted legal instruments to meet the goals and commitments of the countries that sign them. Studies have shown that the use of Telecommunications and ICTs represent around 33% of the CO2e reduction factors, meaning that without them it is very difficult, if not impossible, for countries to comply with the commitments made in the COPs and other international commitments on climate change and circular economy. This area will cover the following topics:

• National and international policies on climate change
• Regulation by carbon quotas
• Goals and Commitments of binding and non-binding international agreements
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction Policies
• Policies to reduce energy consumption
• Policies and regulations on Circular Economy
• Others related to this area

2. Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change.

Mitigation refers to measures to reduce the effects of climate change, such as reducing GHG emissions. Within this theme, the use of Telecommunications and ICT is analyzed to reduce emissions in other sectors, green technologies, among others.

Adaptation refers to measures to deal with changes that have already occurred as a result of global warming. These changes have a negative impact on ecosystems and on human habitat, affecting access to natural resources such as drinking water and agriculture, increasing the risk of floods and droughts. This area will cover the following topics:

• Measures to reduce and/or mitigate the effects of climate change
• Climate accounting
• Mitigation of climate change
• Adaptation to climate change
• Reduction of the carbon footprint
• Reduction of GHG emissions
• Natural risks due to the impact of climate change
• Green technologies for mitigation and adaptation to climate change
• Clean energy technologies
• Low-carbon development and climate resilience

• Others related to this area

3. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Management – WEEE

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), such as computers, televisions, and mobile cellular devices, among others, represents one of the fastest growing waste streams worldwide. WEEE contains a complex mixture of materials and components that, due to its dangerous content, if not handled properly, can cause serious problems to the ecosystem, human health and climate change. On the other hand, modern industry requires the use of scarce and expensive resources contained in this waste.

To improve the environmental management of WEEE, contribute to a circular economy and improve resource efficiency, it is essential to improve the processes of production, collection, treatment and recycling of electrical and electronic products at the end of their useful life, in addition to promoting its reuse, the reduction in the generation of waste and to eliminate waste through the circular economy. This area will cover the following topics:

• Circular Economy.
• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Management - WEEEM
• Green standards
• Green technologies to mitigate and adapt to climate changes
• Analysis of the life cycle of goods, networks and services
• Urban mining
• Others related to this area

4. Training of Human Talent to face Climate Change

The III International Symposium on "ICTs and climate change" organized by the ITU jointly with CITIC and held in Quito, Ecuador in July 2009, recommended the creation of educational programs in this area to raise awareness among its member states about climate change and climate change. role that Telecommunications and ICT can play in the fight against the effects of climate change. In addition, he supported CITIC's commitment to bring the proposal that institutions, public and private entities include in their activities and projects the analysis and study of the impact of Telecommunications and ICTs on climate change to all Latin American countries and the Caribbean Islands. ¨

In 2017, the ITU began the development of the ICT and climate change training program, in which three CITIC senior researchers participated, within the framework of which the priority areas of training at the master's program level were defined, it is oriented to staff from industry, regulators, government organizations, service providers, academics and researchers. Program that was accepted for CITIC to carry out the translation and execution in Spanish and English, after winning the international open call PARTNIER ICT & CC of 2019. The training topics proposed in the ITU document on the ICT Training Program and Climate Change are:

BASIC MODULES

FM 1. Introduction to ICT and climate change
FM2. Roles of stakeholders in ICT and climate change
FM3. Development of ICT service provider strategies
FM4. Assessment of the impact of ICTs on climate change
FM5. Applying green ICT strategies
FM6. E-waste and the circular economy

ADVANCED MODULES

AM1.1. Climate modeling
AM1.2. Role of satellites and radio communications in environmental monitoring
AM1.3. Global / regional frameworks for the reduction of GHG emissions
AM2.1. Policy makers and regulators
AM2.2. Telecommunications and IT service providers
AM3.1. Telecommunications Service Provider (TSP) Strategies
AM3.2. IT service provider strategies (including cloud services)
AM3.3. Adaptation for infrastructure providers
AM4.1. How to perform a full life cycle assessment (LCA)
AM4.2. How to assess the carbon footprint of sectors, countries and regions
AM5.1. Improving the energy efficiency of ICT products and services
AM5.2. GHG reductions in the electricity sector
AM5.3. Transport decarbonise
AM5.4. Adaptation for infrastructure providers
AM6. The end-of-life stage in life cycle assessment

Note: In bold the topics developed by CITIC researchers.

5. Financing Climate Change Solutions

Obtaining sufficient financing and investment is a fundamental part of national strategies to address climate change and waste electrical and electronic equipment management, being a critical issue in current global negotiations. There are carbon trading mechanisms, they are projects that can be used by developing countries to offset emissions. Among these, for example: projects related to adaptation; technology transfer; energy, transportation, industry, agriculture, forestry, waste management; economic diversification, among others. This area will cover the following topics:

• Green finance
• Green bonds in emerging market economies
• Green bonds as a financial instrument
• Green investment opportunities
• Environmental benefits for green investments
• Verification of Climate Bonds Initiative to receive a “green label”