Ahead of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, a report commissioned by Mobile UK highlights the important role 5G will play in helping the UK meet its net zero targets.
Mobile UK, the trade association representing the country’s major mobile network operators—EE, O2, Three and Vodafone—commissioned the study titled 5G’s Crucial Role in the Race to Combat Climate Change: How 5G will help lay the path to net zero. The report assesses how mobile networks and related technologies can support efforts to tackle climate change and reduce emissions across multiple sectors.
Gareth Elliott, Head of Policy and Communications at Mobile UK, commented:
“Our report highlights the crucial role that 5G and wider mobile connectivity will have in assisting our efforts to mitigate climate change. What is important is that governments recognise this early and work with industry to enable the rapid deployment of 5G and mobile networks. By doing so, we will be in a stronger position to realise our goals more quickly.”
The UK Government has set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78 percent by 2035 and to reach net zero by 2050. While some critics argue these goals are not ambitious enough and others say they allow a managed transition, most observers agree that technological solutions will be essential to deliver the efficiency gains needed.
Key findings from the Mobile UK report highlight how mobile technologies, and 5G in particular, can contribute to emissions reductions across several sectors:
- Mobile technologies could reduce food waste by up to 50 percent before the end of the decade, lowering emissions associated with production, transport and disposal.
- In manufacturing, the adoption of 5G-enabled systems and automation could cut annual carbon emissions by around 2.6 MtCO2e by 2025 through improved process efficiency and reduced energy use.
- When applied to transport, 5G has the potential to reduce annual emissions by between 6.6 and 9.3 MtCO2e. Technologies such as dynamic traffic management and connected intersections can streamline flows and reduce energy consumption by approximately 13–44 percent.
- In agriculture, deploying 5G-connected drones, sensors and precision-farming tools could lower annual emissions by roughly 1 MtCO2e through targeted inputs, reduced waste and better resource management.
Mobile UK is actively participating in multiple field trials and collaborations with partners including Digital Catapult, O2, Transport for West Midlands, Wayra and other organisations. These pilots are testing real-world applications of 5G to reduce emissions and improve efficiency.
Examples of trial projects include using 5G to monitor wind turbines for better energy yield, optimising waste collection and recycling with connected systems, and giving households real-time energy data to help reduce consumption.
A full copy of the report is available in PDF format for those who want the detailed analysis and methodology.
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