Can 5G Network Really Help Climate Change? Check Out The Reason!

JAKARTA - The problem that is still being faced by the world is climate change. It is estimated that the effect will cause enormous disruption and danger, such as flooding and even affect the world economy.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that 1.5 degrees Celsius warming could cause sea levels to rise 0.4 meters by 2100, with 69 million people affected by flooding.

Right now what has to be done is to develop the technology, which will enable the industry to become a net zero company immediately. Digital technology is perhaps the most powerful tool to tackle climate change and 5G is at the forefront of this.

Some wireless network operators have also taken steps to limit emissions, such as reducing energy consumption, switching to more efficient network equipment, and seeking renewable energy sources. However, keeping pace with the growing volume of data over mobile networks will require more than just upgrading the current network.

5G networks have a threefold impact on fighting climate change. The new grid is significantly more energy efficient, can also reduce greenhouse gases, reduce emissions of other industries, and enable more precise environmental monitoring to help meet a wider range of needs.

The following VOI explains in more detail what are the benefits of 5G to fight climate change, as quoted from Techradar, Monday, August 30.

5G networks promise substantial improvements to current wireless technologies in terms of latency, throughput, and device connectivity. As a result, the data demand per device and the number of devices will also increase.

But apart from that, 5G networks allow network operators to be more energy efficient at the output per unit level. 5G networks could offer the potential to enable a 98 percent reduction in energy consumption per bit of data transmitted. This means cumulatively saving the world more than 1 billion tonnes of CO2 between 2020 and 2030.

5G's improvements in latency and bandwidth, combined with the functionality of new technologies such as mobile edge computing (MEC) will also enable new use cases that will drive significant emission reductions, from most industries. It will change the way humans live and work, resulting in substantial greenhouse gas reductions.

In smart cities having 5G networks such as data, sensors and connected devices help improve government services, as well as residents' quality of life through analytics, artificial intelligence, automation that will enable a new generation of platforms and services.

The 5G network is unique in its ability to serve as a platform for other disruptive technologies including XR, IoT, and AI. The application of this technology in various industries can significantly reduce energy use and help accelerate climate-saving initiatives, such as reducing the need for travel via remote work.

Other use cases include implementing 5G in connected transportation to reduce commuting time and improve traffic management, or to enhance virtual conferences and trade shows, drive reductions in hotel room stays and travel emissions.

In addition to carbon reductions, 5G will expand to create entire connected infrastructures that require the transmission of large amounts of data, at breakneck speeds across congested device networks. The implications are many, spanning connected transportation, agriculture, cities, buildings, industry, energy, health, life, work, and physical to digital networks.

For example for the agricultural sector, precision agriculture technology using 5G can increase crop yields and simultaneously reduce emissions generated by growing crops, using data collection technologies, big data analytics and precision application controls to guide and optimize farm management practices.

These techniques will allow for more precise environmental monitoring, combating other forms of environmental degradation such as reducing pesticide use, improving irrigation systems or testing the quality of water for consumption.