AT&T Targets Net Zero Scope 1 and 2 Emissions by 2035

(Photo Credit: AT&T on YouTube)

AT&T introduced plans today to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035. The telecom is focusing on six initiatives that support their new goal of becoming carbon neutral across global operations.

Climate-related severe weather events including flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires have a direct effect on the company. Since 2016, AT&T has spent nearly $1 billion recovering from these kinds of events, according to the company.

“Our network is tested by climate change and natural disasters every year,” John Stankey, AT&T’s CEO said in a statement. “We owe it to the millions of customers who rely on our services to create the most resilient and sustainable business we can.”

The six initiatives are:

• Virtualization of network functions. AT&T plans to eliminate “significant portions of energy-intense network equipment” by relying on low-cost, energy-efficient hardware that can virtualize the functions of the network equipment. Currently 75% of the company’s core network functions are virtualized, AT&T said. By increasing that, the telecom says it will use less energy and lower its greenhouse gas emissions footprint.
• Transitioning to a low-emissions fleet. The company aims to lower its operational fleet’s emissions by “optimizing routes, switching to hybrid vehicles, and reducing the overall size of the fleet.” AT&T also has plans to decarbonize its fleet.
• Ramping up energy efficiency and network optimization. AT&T noted that the company implements thousands of energy efficiency projects across its network and operations annually, reducing energy use and costs.
• Expanding sustainable feature film and TV production. AT&T owns WarnerMedia, and says that its entertainment conglomerate will reduce the energy and resource consumption associated with film and television production through “cleantech solutions, sustainable products, and reuse and waste reduction e?orts.”
• Supporting the renewable energy marketplace. AT&T says it plans to enter into more power purchase agreements with renewable energy developers, which would help the company reduce its emissions footprint, hedge against rising energy costs, and help add more renewable electricity to the US power grid.
• Investing in carbon offsets. In the cases where AT&T can’t eliminate sources of emissions, the company said that it will invest in carbon offsets to cover the associated emissions.

In addition to these initiatives, the company announced that it would expand its Climate Change Analysis Tool (CCAT) from four pilot states in the Southeast to the entire contiguous United States. The tool identifies potential climate effects on AT&T’s network and operations as far as 30 years into the future.