A new report from the Digital Connectivity Forum (DCF), which is an industry think-tank for the Government, has summarised how much progress the UK telecoms (broadband, mobile etc.) market has made with respect to sustainability and Net Zero (i.e. the goal of an organisation to remove as many carbon emissions as they produce) – with nearly all of the major operators having set targets.
The report, which surveyed 12 major telecoms companies during May 2024 (e.g. network operators, ISPs and vendors), revealed that 11 out of 12 have set some form of Net Zero target and 75% are using validated science-based targets. This level of target setting was found to be both a “positive signal of the continued commitment to net zero and a sign that the telecoms sector is recognising and responding to climate concerns“.
Other key findings included:
➤ 70% identified renewable energy transition as the largest driver for operational emissions decrease to date.
➤ 5 out of 11 identified fleet transition as a potential large-scale driver for scope 1 & 2 reductions.
➤ 50% have fleet transition targets.
➤ 90% identified green skills gaps as a barrier.
The report also highlights interesting areas such as the potential for certain drivers to decrease overall emissions, including fleet transition, renewable energy switching, fluorinated gas reduction from networks and data centres, and the use of data analytics to focus sustainability strategy. But unfortunately, we only get small bits and pieces of data from the report, and it doesn’t compare the progress of each company, which would have been useful.
Will Ennett, Chair of the DCF’s Climate & Sustainability Work Group, said:
“The members of the Digital Connectivity Forum Climate and Sustainability Working Group have recognised the urgency of climate change. As we face a world that is rapidly changing, many companies are already taking impressive action to curb their environmental impact and make a difference. I want to take this opportunity to thank all members for their enthusiastic collaboration, and to the Digital Connectivity Forum team for their tremendous dedication in creating this report.”
The full report will shortly be available at this link (PDF).