Last week, the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) kicked off in Baku, Azerbaijan. The event welcomed world leaders to discuss and share plans to address climate change.  

Mobile connectivity will play a crucial role in the race to combat climate change. A new report from the Digital Connectivity Forum (DCF) highlights that the mobile industry is taking positive steps in committing to net zero. In this blog we reflect on how the UK’s mobile network operators are contributing a more sustainable environmental future.

EE

EE aims to become a net zero carbon business by 2040. It is building towards making its products, network, and operations circular by 2030. This means significantly reducing or eliminating electronic waste (e-waste), using renewable energy source and recycled materials, and ensuring devices are made to be reused.

EE is focused on reducing the carbon footprint of their devices. For example, extending the life of smartphones by just one year could save an additional 21.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually by 2030. EE is playing an active role in reducing its carbon footprint and a big part of this progress is offering more ways for its technology to remain used for longer.  

To find out more about EE’s focus on sustainable technology see: https://ee.co.uk/our-company/corporate-responsibility/being-responsible/Sustainable  

Three

Three is committed to reducing 50% of direct emissions by 2030. It also plans to reduce 42% of indirect emissions by 2030. Further to this, Three aims to maintain at least 97% renewable electricity for directly procured electricity. For sites where they do not select the energy supplier directly, they are working with stakeholders to ensure renewable electricity usage.

Last year, Three launched a new scheme offering its employees the chance to purchase an electric vehicle through salary sacrifice. Its target is to have a 5% uptake by 2026. Further to this in 2022, around 244,000 parcels were delivered to customers on all-electric DPD vehicles, saving around 67 tonnes of CO2. That’s the equivalent of planting 263 trees.

These goals reflect Three UK’s broader strategy to actively manage their carbon footprint and contribute to minimising the impacts of climate change. Find out more here: https://www.three.co.uk/social-commitment/environment  

Vodafone

Vodafone is also committed to achieving net zero emissions from its own operations by 2030 and across its value chain by 2040.  

To meet this commitment, the company has set ambitious goals, these include matching 100% of the grid electricity used globally with electricity added to the grid from renewable sources by 2025. Reaching net zero emission from operations in Europe by 2028. Reducing emissions from operators by at least 90% by 2030.

Find out how Vodafone is tackling carbon emissions here: https://www.vodafone.com/sustainable-business/protecting-the-planet/tackling-carbon-emissions  

Virgin Media O2

Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions across its value chain by 2040. The operator is supporting large-scale decarbonisation by preventing 20 million tonnes of CO2 from entering Earth’s atmosphere by 2025.

To reach its these targets VMO2 will continue to invest in renewable electricity and energy efficiency initiatives. Cut carbon emissions from road journeys by transitioning to only using electric vehicles by the end of 2030. Partner with industry experts like the Carbon Trust to implement the latest best practices and science-based methodologies.

To find out how Virgin Media O2 aims to reach a zero-carbon future, visit: https://news.virginmediao2.co.uk/responsible-business/reaching-a-zero-carbon-future/  

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