Page 48 - Turning digital technology innovation into climate action

Turning digital technology innovation into climate action

Most recently, ITU-T SG5 has been working to develop a set of international standards (ITU-T
Recommendations) that assess the environmental impacts of 5G systems including the electromagnetic
compatibility (EMC) aspects, the electromagnetic fields (EMF) aspects, energy efficiency in 5G systems
and their resistibility to lightning and power fault events.

A few examples of ITU-T Recommendations are included in Box 5.

Box 5: ITU-T Recommendations

ITU-T Recommendations

ITU-T L.1302 ‘Assessment of energy efficiency on infrastructure in data centres and telecom
centres:’ This Recommendation specifies an energy efficiency assessment methodology
for data centres and telecom centres, test equipment accuracy requirements, assessment
period, assessment conditions and calculation methods. It supports telecom providers and
operators to reduce the environmental footprint of data and telecom centres.
ITU-T L.1310 ‘Energy efficiency metrics and measurement methods for telecommunication
equipment:’ This Recommendation contains the definition of energy efficiency metrics
test procedures, methodologies and measurement profiles required to assess the energy
efficiency of telecommunication equipment.

ITU-T L.1320 ‘Energy efficiency metrics and measurement for power and cooling equipment
for telecommunications and data centres:’ This Recommendation contains the definition of
metrics, test procedures, methodologies and measurement profiles required to assess the
energy efficiency of power and cooling equipment of telecommunications and data centres.
ITU-T L.1331 ‘Assessment of mobile network energy efficiency:’ This Recommendation
contains metrics and methodologies for assessing the energy efficiency of mobile and
operational networks. The networks considered are those whose size and scale could be
defined by topologic, geographic or demographic boundaries.

6.2 Supporting the transition to Smart Sustainable Cities

The United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative is a United Nations’ initiative coordinated by
ITU, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and United Nations Human Settlements
Programme (UN-Habitat) along with 14 other UN bodies to achieve SDG 11: ‘Make cities and human
settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.

The U4SSC acts as a global platform that advocates for public policy on using ICTs in facilitating the
transition to smart sustainable cities. With inputs and expertise gathered from telecom providers,
policymakers, civil society and city stakeholders, the U4SSC has developed technical reports and
guidelines that support cities in connecting ICTs to urban sustainable development (see Box 6 below).

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