Developing Telecoms: A Green Road to a Greener Future: MTN at BWS 2021

Developing Telecoms reported that lowering carbon emissions has become an increasing priority for the largest players in the telecoms sector due to the role that ICT can play in helping other industries decarbonizes.

At the Better World Summit for Green ICT held at Huawei's Innovation Lab in Dubai, various speakers explored how the ICT industry will be able to facilitate a greener society ? and why this was particularly important in emerging markets regions, including Africa.

MTN Group executive, Chief Procurement Officer Dirk Karl took the stage to discuss how operators had a role to play in emerging markets. Karl described this beyond simply the purpose of business ? operators have responsibility to enable everyone the benefits of a modern, connected life, and MTN is still deploying and densifying networks in Africa.

"Our work is not just about flourishing the business ? it has a purpose, and this was proven under COVID, of being system-relevant to our wider economies in order to connect societies so that we can serve them in the future", said Karl. "However, for business to flourish in the future, you need to do something about the health of those communities and the health of that ecosystem. Everyone deserves the benefit of a digital life."

Climate change is a bigger threat to emerging markets, and Africa is at a greater risk than most other markets in the fight against poverty. Karl noted that while green technology - such as intelligent batteries, passive cabinets that do not require air conditioning ? were indeed helpful, they were part of the equation as they could help realize a carbon emissions reduction. It is also necessary to invest heavily in renewable energy to achieve MTN's climate goals.

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