CO2 savings by customers thanks to sustainable ICT services
The ICT sector has a key role to play in reducing CO2 emissions. A study conducted by the Global e-Sustainability Initiative found that the ICT sector has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions worldwide by some 16%. This potential reduction corresponds to around seven times the amount of CO2 emissions produced by the sector itself.
A study commissioned by the WWF and conducted by the University of Zurich in 2017 proves that, by 2025 in Switzerland, ICT has the potential to eliminate up to 3.37 times more greenhouse gas emissions than will be generated in total by ICT devices and infrastructures through their production, operation and disposal combined. Conversely, emissions from the use of ICT mainly come from the manufacture of devices. Heavy devices in particular, such as desktop PCs, increase emissions from the ICT sector. But even with smaller devices, such as smartphones and laptops, the manufacturing energy determines the carbon footprint. For this reason, increasing importance is being attached to extending the life cycle of ICT equipment.
Swisscom invests a lot of effort in structuring its offerings in a more energy-efficient and resource-friendly manner, and offers products and services that support customers in reducing their CO2 emissions, in saving energy and in improving the work-life balance of their employees.
ICT solutions contribute to reducing CO2 emissions in day-to-day work. For example, virtual conferences allow companies to cut down on business travel, and communications solutions allow employees to work from their home office. Furthermore, the optimisation of vehicle fleets, the use of energy-efficient services from data centres and the intelligent control of office buildings, equipment and power networks can all make a valuable contribution towards reducing CO2 emissions.
Private households reduce CO2 emissions when they replace physical media such as CDs, DVDs and magazines with digital products. E-shopping eliminates the need to make trips to brick-and-mortar stores and reduces the energy required to maintain the sales outlets.
See www.swisscom.ch/greenict