A breath of fresh air in global warming

Photo: Unsplash

Recently, at the end of March, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the latest Synthesis Report on Climate Change 2023, highlighting the losses and damages caused by global climate change. Once again, warnings about the irreversible consequences of human actions on global warming were issued, particularly regarding Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions resulting from fossil fuel combustion, energy use, land use, lifestyle, consumption patterns, and production patterns. These factors were identified as responsible for the planet's temperature increase of 1.1°C compared to pre-industrial levels (before 1900).

Warnings about such risks and externalities are routinely present in discussions among academics, governments, and NGOs. The Global Compact Network’s "call to action" for the private sector to take the lead in reducing (and regenerating) GHG emissions introduced an innovative approach last week with the launch of the planet’s IPO: TERR4, an initiative aimed at raising awareness in society and encouraging companies to join the pact and advance toward the 2030 Agenda.

Much has been written about the risks and externalities associated with global warming. Organizations such as the OECD and the World Bank report increases of 40% to 50% in GHG emissions over the past 20 years. However, little is said or acknowledged about the direct and indirect opportunities captured by the telecommunications industry. The investments that major service providers have made in recent years toward the low-carbon energy transition, using renewable energy sources, are a concrete example of contributions to reducing direct emissions.

The good news is that the potential for indirect opportunities captured through services provided by the sector is even more significant in this ecosystem. When videoconferences and collaborative platforms are used for work, or when apps, social media, and digital tools enable remote education or virtual medical consultations, GHG emissions are reduced because fossil fuels are not burned for travel by cars or airplanes. Connectivity is "ESG – Environmental, Social, and Governance – driven"!

The digitalization of agriculture is a great example of an indirect opportunity captured, with untapped potential in 5G networks. Today, the connected agribusiness sector has reduced the number of operating machines, optimized the logistics distribution chain, and become more efficient in combating fires and pests. This more efficient use of land has led the country to record agricultural production levels while also lowering GHG emissions. And we have yet to mention Industry 4.0.

The sector has a long but hidden positive journey. Since privatization, Anatel has contributed to this equation through regulations and incentives for infrastructure sharing (e.g., towers, last-mile networks, access networks, and virtual operators), which prevent network duplication and, consequently, mitigate the extraction of natural resources, industrialization, and associated logistics.

There is still room for the sector to coordinate efforts—not only to reduce risks and externalities but also to create opportunities for regeneration and, together with society, give global warming a much-needed break. Reinvest in TERR4 initiatives!

By Marcio Lino, originally published in Teletime News on May 16th, 2023