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Ken Livingstone predicts video revolution
Thursday, March 26, 2009 Videoconferencing will revolutionise the business community’s attitude to travel, according former London mayor Ken Livingstone. In a keynote speech at the Institute of Travel Management conference in Liverpool, the Labour politician predicted that making business trips in the future may be ditched after initial face-to-face contact has been made, in favour of virtual alternatives. "It [videoconferencing] will grow massively", he said. "You’ll need the initial human contact to see who you're dealing with. Only then will you be able to pick it up with VC." He suggested that as the quality of video technology improves and the cost reduces there would be a massive corporate uptake. But he also cited growing concerns about the environment as a catalyst for a switch to videoconferencing. "Within five or six years will see a huge drive to reduce carbon emissions," he warned. "Climate change is happening faster than scientists initially thought. Average temperatures could rise to such an extent that some areas of the world will become uninhabitable" Livingstone also told ITM delegates he is supporting the prime minister's borrowing strategy to help the economy break out of recession. While admitting he does not often see eye-to-eye with Gordon Brown, Livingstone said: "China is investing nearly 40% of its GDP in its economy, and some others are not far behind. "If we don't invest we could limp on in recession for the next three years. If we match US president Obama’s strategy we could come strongly out of this by 2010.”
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