This page acts as an initial repository of useful links and resources for INCA Members working towards Net Zero. If you know of resources that you believe INCA Members would find of value please let us know by sending email to graham@inca.coop
The information and links provided here are presented purely as a service to INCA member organisations. The presence or otherwise of a link or other resource does not equate to an endorsement, and INCA accepts no liability in respect of the use of any of the information or services referred to below.
What is Net Zero?
Achieving Net Zero means that your organisation has taken steps to manage its emissions to the point where the organisation has no net impact resulting from its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This can include offsetting where it is currently impracticable to cut all GHG emissions to zero.
What are the 3 Scopes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions?
In the jargon of decarbonisation, emissions are grouped into three 'scopes':
- Scope 1 covers the direct emissions of the organisation from fuels that it uses: the emissions from vehicles you run and things like gas boilers you might use to heat buildings.
- Scope 2 includes indirect emissions form the energy that your organisation buys. This includes the emissions produced to generate and transmit the electricity that your organisation buys.
- Scope 3 covers all of the emissions that the organisation is responsible for, but which are generated not by the organisation itself, but by customers and suppliers up and down the value chain.
These three scopes from the basis of mandatory GHG reporting. For companies in the digital infrastructure sector and elsewhere, scope 3 emissions are by far the largest of the three scopes, and also the hardest to address. Addressing scope 1 and 2 emissions can often be relatively straightforward: ensure that your organisation is only using 100% renewable electricity, move to electric vehicles, etc.
Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)
The Science Based Targets Initiative has useful information for businesses working to reduce their emissions. Of particular interest to INCA Members, they have produced guidelines specially aimed at digital infrastructure businesses (mobile networks operators, fixed networks operators, and data centre operators). At the time of writing some 57 Telecoms services companies were listed as taking action using the SBTi approach, including the likes of Telefonica, Talent, Liberty Global, TalkTalk, Deutsche Telekom, and BT.
Tech Zero
A DCMS supported initiative, Tech Zero is a group for tech companies committed to climate action. Tech Zero was started in the UK by a group of leading tech companies. As with INCA's Net Zero initiative, the focus is that by working together, companies can make faster progress to net zero.
Useful Reports
Several reports have now been produced that look at the environmental costs and benefits of fibre networks in comparison with other technologies.
- Prysmian Group: energy consumption of telecommunication access networks
- CityFibre report from Carbon Smart – "Our digital infrastructure needn't cost the earth"
- The German Broadband Association (BREKO) – 2020 report looking at the comparative energy consumption of fibre networks compared with copper-based networks (in German)