How Broadband Can Help Businesses in the Net-Zero Era

Broadband powers our world, creating connection with each other and the things our businesses and communities need to thrive. The pandemic has underscored its vital role, and we have an opportunity to come out the other side as a stronger, more connected world.

One of the most pressing issues we face today is climate change, and we know broadband, including 5G solutions, can play an important role in helping businesses operate more efficiently and reduce their environmental impact.

Last year, AT&T pledged to reach net-zero in our operations by 2035, and we’re making good progress. As of 2020, we decreased operational emissions by nearly 40% from 2015 levels, and other businesses are following suit. Now 55% of Fortune Global 200 companies have established targets for the partial or total elimination of greenhouse gas emissions, and nearly a quarter of these businesses have set dates for reaching carbon neutrality.

These are all positive developments, and today we announced we’re enhancing our climate commitment and plan to use broadband solutions for business customers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a gigaton – 1 billion metric tons – by 2035.?That’s equal to about 15% of the total annual emissions in the U.S. [1] in 2020 — or 1.6 billion flights from Los Angeles to New York. [2]

Connected climate solutions represent a huge opportunity for business in the transition to a net-zero economy, and AT&T can help deliver greater results at scale. The Connected Climate Initiative will help us collectively reduce emissions by working with leading technology companies, AT&T business customers, universities and nonprofits to develop sustainability best practices and new products for our customers.

In fact, we’ve already seen how this can work. Between 2018 and 2020, AT&T and its environmental partners measured the impact of select smart IoT and edge-computing technologies on some of its business customers in the manufacturing, agriculture and commercial sectors.?The result was a reduction of more than 72 million metric tons of CO2e. Now it’s time to scale this work. ?

Broadband can help organizations accelerate digital transformation, improve business operations and benefit our global society. That’s why, in addition to our drive for innovation and the application of the emissions-reducing power of broadband, we are focused on extending access of broadband networks to those who don’t have it today. Between 2016 and 2020, AT&T’s total investment in the United States, including capital investment and acquisitions of spectrum and wireless operations, was more than $105 billion.

During this same period, AT&T has invested more capital in the United States than any other public company. We’re continuing to invest so we can help more businesses adapt and grow in the net-zero era. ?

Taken together, the challenges and opportunities of climate change are bringing us to critical inflection points across our country and our planet. And while we continue to work through a number of global issues and crises, I’m a firm believer in the strength of the human spirit and the power of technology innovation – and that gives me confidence in our future.

[1] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks

[2] UK Government Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS)