Going green: what are operators and suppliers doing to get to net zero?

According to a recent report, ICT and telecoms companies worldwide have a carbon footprint two times the size of the aviation industry. That’s a cause for concern, particularly as telecoms alone accounts for around 2% of global energy demand - a figure that’s only likely to increase as the world becomes more connected. For a while, getting rid of plastic straws was positioned as the answer to all of our environmental woes, and brands like Starbucks did a lap of honor before facing a terrible backlash from environmentally-savvy consumers. But 5G opens the door to much more bandwidth, which in turn drives the adoption of hungry applications that are responsible for causing the problem in the first place. Vodafone’s device collection scheme is also influencing other telcos to take the initiative when it comes to recycling handsets.