SDG13: Climate Action
Why it matters
SDG 13 calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impact. Unless immediate and transformative action is taken across all sectors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C will be in jeopardy, endangering the lives of over 3 billion individuals. Failing to take action will result in intensifying heatwaves, droughts, floods, wildfires, rising sea levels and devastating famines. Emissions must be cut by almost half by 2030 to meet the commitments under the Paris Agreement.[53]
The industry’s contribution
Mobile technology contributes to SDG 13 by increasing connectivity, improving efficiency and effecting changes in behaviour, while mobile network–enabled technologies help avoid emissions. Connected devices in particular form an important part of the decarbonisation solution.
To date, 62 operators representing 61% of the industry by revenue and 46% by connections have committed to a science-based target of rapidly decreasing their direct and indirect emissions by 2030. A considerable portion of operators, representing 39% of mobile connections and 43% of global revenue, have also committed to net zero targets by 2050 or earlier.[54]
Operators in Europe and North America are making the biggest strides on climate action, as they are expanding their energy-efficiency programmes and sharply increasing their use of renewable electricity.[55] In other regions, the picture is mixed; while there are strong ambitions, there are also challenges to reaching targets.
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Maximising mobile’s impact by 2030
In countries all around the world, there is a need for progressive policies from governments to build a regulatory environment that helps operators decarbonise. This includes helping expand renewable electricity access to facilitate private-sector purchases. Governments should also recognise the power of connected digital solutions in helping decarbonise other industries.
Case Studies
Communities in Haiti Access New Technologies for Early Warnings/Response (CHANTER)
Reliance Jio drives circularity through novel waste management approach
Reliance Jio aims to reduce its Scope 3 emissions by 66.5% by 2028, using the 2020 as a base a reference point. The company has also committed to achieving net zero by 2035. To attain these ambitious goals, an emphasis has been placed on resource conservation, effective waste management and maintaining low operating costs.
Jio follows a hierarchical approach to waste management, prioritising reusing and repairing over recycling and recovery. Jio has devised innovative ideas to enhance the lifecycle of batteries, electronic cards and rectifiers.
For instance, when batteries reach the end of their life, Jio disassembles them and retrieves the viable cells. After testing these cells, they are reassembled into modules with reduced capacity. These reassembled modules are then deployed in locations that require lower-battery backup, thereby minimising the need for new modules. Similarly, defective electronic cards and rectifiers undergo testing and their functional components are recovered and reassembled as repaired equipment, ready for reuse.
These initiatives have enabled Jio to reuse around 50% of end-of-life batteries, around 25% of defective electronic cards and roughly 40% of defective rectifiers over the past 12 months. This has allowed the operator to generate $42 million in saving from avoiding replacements, resulting in a 35,000 tCO2e reduction in emissions.
Nokia deploys 5G ‘factory of the future’
Nokia has set a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target through the Science Based Targets initiative. Its target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% between 2019 and 2030 across its value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions). To meet this goal, the company is using its technology solutions to make its industrial processes more efficient.
Nokia's 5G ‘factory of the future’ in Oulu, Finland, utilises a comprehensive range of 5G+ technologies. These technologies enable various functions such as machining and assembly, which are carried out by robots. The factory also incorporates autonomous transportation facilitated by mobile robots. To ensure high-quality standards, advanced quality-control methods, including video analytics, are employed. Further, maintenance schedules are optimised with the help of augmented intelligence and machine learning, which provide real-time asset-condition data and make recommendations accordingly.
According to the latest data gathered in 2022, factory output has increased by 250% while maintaining the same level of resources and energy consumption. There was a 54% reduction of energy consumption per product produced and an avoidance of 70% of CO2 emissions. In addition, process defects and product time to market were both reduced by half.
This factory was recognised in 2019 by McKinsey and the World Economic Forum as an ‘Advanced Fourth Industrial Revolution Lighthouse’, showcasing Nokia's ability to digitally transform and modernise its customers' manufacturing facilities for Industry 4.0.