Digital is best – commitment to the environment is needed for the rest

Let’ me explain with some facts and figures, how the telecom industry is acting for one of the most complex challenges humanity has ever faced, the climate change, with well-defined targets, a clear roadmap and transparent indicators.

Firstly, let be clear on our need to do more with less.

It would be easy to say that the whole digital industry contributed in 2018 only to 3.5% of global carbon emissions, far less than construction or transport and to remain silent about the common need for 8 billion people on Earth to use transport, or to access education, health as well as entertainment services. At least half of the humanity still needs more services than today.

Science, technology and progress can be our allies to achieve the next Green Transition, as has been shown throughout the other challenges of human history. 

I firmly believe that digital solutions are a critical success factor. We had in 2020 a worldwide proof during the Covid-19 pandemic. As our lives and activities went digital, greenhouse gases lowered by 4-7% according to an estimate published in Nature.

Our networks proved essential with the same trends worldwide: voice traffic doubled or even tripled, we saw a 30% increase in traffic on our fixed networks, and strong peaks in traffic on our transatlantic links. We boosted our networks as well as the capacity of our platforms to enable a 7-fold increase in the use of teleworking among our business customers.

Digital technology enabled us to continue with our lives, activities, services and work while producing fewer carbon emissions. It helps us every day to improve the lives of billions of people.

The telecom industry is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions concrete commitments and technical progress. We are making significant investments in response to the growing demand for communications on our mobile and fixed networks, reducing at the same time the greenhouse gas emissions relyping on two pillars: our concrete commitments and the  technological progress.

Our commitment to the Paris Agreement is our route to less carbon emissions.

This commitment is stronger when it is global. This is why through the worldwide GSM mobile operator association that I have the honor to lead, the industry is committed to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2050 in accordance with Paris Agreement.

We have a roadmap and transparent scientific performance indicators to guide us.

Since September 2019, more than 50 mobile operators which together account for more than two thirds of mobile connections globally – committed to disclose their climate impacts, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions to enable full transparency in accordance with the Carbon Disclosure Project and the Science-Based Targets.

In my 10-year tenure as Orange’s CEO, I am happy to say that Orange is doing even better than the industry. At COP21, Orange committed to reduce its carbon emissions per customer by 50% between 2006 and 2020 – achieving the objective three years early by 2017. This puts Orange on track to be Net Zero Carbon by 2040, achieved by drastically cutting our current emissions, and relying on carbon sequestration only for the remaining unavoidable part. To drive our daily activities in the shorter term, Orange is committed to reducing carbon emissions for scope 1 and 2, by 30% in 2025 compared to 2015.

But on its own, the commitment is not enough.

We require technological progress to achieve our goals.

The demand for digital services has been growing even faster since the pandemic; our challenge is to provide more digital services with less energy. Only technology progress allows us to do so.

The data transported via Orange’s mobile networks from 2014 to 2018 increased seven-fold while the quantity of electricity for the same unit of data was lowered by as much as 80% thanks to evolving technology. We will continue to invest in more efficient infrastructure, networks, and data centers, which account for 80% of our energy consumption and carbon emissions – these efficient technologies are the main way to contribute to our goals.

Our fiber networks consume 3 times less energy than copper networks. Orange has been investing in fiber for years and is now the number one fiber operator in Europe. 5G will use 10 times less energy than 4G while carrying the same quantity of data by 2025 - it already uses half as much today. Our new eco-friendly data centers spend 30% less energy; the natural ventilation needed now requires 80% less energy for cooling.  

Digital brings solutions to reduce carbon emissions for other sectors.

People have legitimate questions about whether digital really does improve lives. The real issue in every country, is to provide better services to all humans, using less energy. Digital services and efficient connectivity are part of the solution.

The digital industry offers a wide range of life-enhancing services in education, health, finance, commerce, work, and leisure while at the same time reduces travel, transforming some physical services to virtual equivalents; as well as optimizing the earth’s resources by rethinking how we share buildings, places, cars and much more.

This is a better life for all at a lower cost for the planet.

The Enablement Effect

Even before the pandemic, in 2019 almost ten times more carbon emissions were avoided across all sectors thanks to mobile technology compared to the emissions of the mobile industry itself.

In 2019 it was 2 times more than in 2015. This should double again by 2025.

Mobile technology will contribute more in the future through 5G combined with the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence. By 2030, digital solutions could help reduce global carbon emissions by 15%.

Throughout history, the remedy to technology-related problems very often involves more technology. The ultimate example is climate change. It’s hard to imagine any solution that does not depend in part on further innovation within our industry, as well as clean energy, carbon capture and energy storage.

The telecom industry is committed for a green transition of our industry, and also to supporting other industries through the green transition.

But this is still not enough.

As we know that the digital part of our lives and economies will continue to grow, we also need to be responsible and committed as individuals, and as entrepreneurs.

Cutting greenhouse gas emissions is also a matter of a lower digital consumption. Whether we are citizens, public authorities, or industries, all of us need to become more savvy and reasonable digital users.

The challenge is not just about cutting greenhouse gas emissions but also preserving the Earth’s resources.

At Orange, we are already embedding the principles of the circular economy into our processes. In the past 10 years, we have managed to recycle 15 million devices, but there is more to do. In France alone, as many as 100 million devices are lying around unused at home. By 2025, 100% of all Orange-branded products will follow an eco-design approach.

5G will also enable more efficient use of the Earth resources. This includes reduced energy and water consumption through real-time connected applications, shared intelligent transport and optimized food chains.

The Orange Ventures Impact Fund

We firmly believe that economic performance goes hand in hand with social responsibility and with environmental sustainability.

Through our capital-risk investment entity, Orange Ventures, which supports future tech champions, we launched e few weeks ago, a specific venture fund: the Orange Ventures Impact fund. It is dedicated to early-stage start-ups, first with a €30-million fund in France, to support projects with a positive societal impact, as well as new responsible business models established today, to improve tomorrow’s world.

I am sure many more solutions will be invented to help us to consume differently, to help us to recycle, to help everyone control energy consumption, raise awareness of eco-designed products and much more.

We know that digital can bring some of the solutions – but our collective commitment can make the real difference.