Can 5G & IoT Address Climate Change?

In 2015, the United Nations established new global sustainable development goals and committed to “protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change, so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations.”

Emerging technologies – enabled by 5G – have the potential to transform industries at scale and accelerate a step change toward meeting the Paris Climate Accord’s 2030 targets.

Existing digital technologies can help reduce global GHG emissions by up to 15 percent by 203 through solutions in energy, manufacturing, agriculture and land use, buildings, services and transportation.

FOOD WASTE

IoT solutions can enable agricultural and food sectors to both reduce waste and feed a growing population. According to the US Department of Agriculture, more than 30% of the US food supply ends up in municipal landfills as waste. We can control food waste and determine food spoilage with IoT solutions such as sensors instead relying on expiration dates.

AGRICULTURE

Soil moisture sensors help farmers optimize irrigation can reduce water usage. For example, current rice farming processes accounts for up to 40 percent of global irrigated water and generate methane that constitutes around 1.5 percent of global GHG emissions. These GHG emissions and water usage can be reduced by implementing a technological solution to alternate wetting and drying processes.

CARBON FOOTPRINT

There will be over 4 billion cellular IoT connections globally by 2024 with sensors in factories, cities, on farms and in our homes. Enabled by 5G, we will have the foundational elements to innovate and drive de-carbonization.

Because of efficiencies, 5G power consumption per bit 10-15% of 4G. In other words, 85-90% of power is saved per bit. This means that with 5G, less energy is used to transmit more data, and decreases the overall power grid energy consumption.

IoT can help enterprises to reduce their emissions. Connected buildings,  connected transportation, connected living and lower carbon travel modes and connected energy are the top four opportunities, each representing double digit reductions

While the above on touches the surface of the 5G and IoT opportunity, it does highlight the importance of  creating financially, socially and environmentally sustainable ecosystem to address this pressing issue.