The Atlantic - October 2019

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This content was created by Atlantic Re:think, the branded content studio at The Atlantic,

and sponsored by Huawei. It does not necessarily reflect the views of The Atlantic’s editorial staff.

Can 5G

Save the

Planet?

Climate Change’s Unlikely Ally

Illustrations by Dan Matutina

ELIVERING EVERYTHING

from speed and security to support for

cutting-edge applications like driver-

less cars, the 5G future promises more.

Yet to contribute to global efforts to mitigate

climate change, the next generation of wireless

networking will need to deliver less in one key

area: energy consumption.

Experts estimate that by next year, information

and communications technology will account for

3.5 percent of annual global carbon emissions,

a larger share than for either the aviation or ship-

ping industry. That figure could jump to 14 percent

by 2040 , roughly equivalent to the percentage

now attributable to the entire population of the

United States.

D