Help Canada lead on climate action with digital policies
Canada can become a global leader in the fight against climate change. The right digital policies enable connectivity and innovation to help more of us work from home or access virtual healthcare. They also help reduce carbon emissions across the country.
Learn the science and get the facts - read why stronger digital policies must become part of Canada’s climate action plan, right away.
Strong digital policies present an opportunity to lead on global climate action
Connectivity and innovation can help Canadians lower their carbon footprint and reach net-zero emissions faster.
Learn more and share the facts
The following reports outline the positive impacts that strong digital policy can have on the climate crisis.
The role of 5G in the fight against the climate crisis
According to a report by Accenture, 5G can help reduce up to 20% of GHG emissions with mobile technologies having the potential to address 23% of Canada's total 2030 emission reduction target by 2025.
Mobile broadband reduces CO2 emissions
A study prepared for the European Conference of the International Telecommunications Society shared that on average, a 10% increase in mobile broadband penetration causes a 7% reduction of CO2 emissions per capita, demonstrating that investments in mobile infrastructure over long periods of time can contribute to mitigating climate change.
Mobile tech can reduce carbon emissions
According to a new GSMA report, mobile technologies can enable carbon emissions reductions that are 10x greater than the carbon footprint of mobile networks themselves.
5G reduces energy use compared to 4G
5G is expected to reduce energy use on a per bit of data consumed basis by 85% to 90%, compared to what 4G requires, says Deetken report.
Telecommunications supports the fight against climate change
Starting in 2022, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) launched a four-year consultation on spectrum policy, and is compiling research until 2026 on how 5G technologies help reduce GHG emissions.
Policy driver
To help Canada reduce GHG emissions by 40-60% of the Paris climate targets, we need to end spectrum hoarding, FarrPoint's report reveals.
Digital Policy is Climate Policy
According to a new report by FarrPoint, use of wireless and wireline networks can reduce greenhouse gasses by 15-20% globally, equivalent to all global transport systems.
Breaking the cycle
Telecommunications can help maintain global CO2e emissions at 2015 levels, decoupling the past pattern where each 1% of growth in GDP equated to an 0.5% increase in CO2e emissions, according to Global e-Sustainability Initiative report.
Slicing GHG emissions
A United Nations agency, International Telecommunication Union’s report says research shows that communications technologies have the potential to enable up to one third of the first halving of global GHG emissions by 2030.
CO2 reductions the size of Greece
Based on a 2002-2019 EcoAustria study, basic and fiber-based broadband connections helped to reduce CO2 emissions in the average OECD country amounting to at least 67 Mt CO2 – roughly the total annual CO2 emissions of an OECD country the size of Greece.