Towards a 6G Embedding Sustainability
Paper in proceeding, 2023

From its conception, 6G is being designed with a particular focus on sustainability. The general philosophy of the H2020 Hexa-X project work on sustainability in 6G is based on two principles: to reduce direct negative life cycle impacts of 6G systems as much as possible (Sustainable 6G) and to analyze use cases that maximize positive environmental, social, and economic effects in other sectors of society (6G for Sustainability or its enablement effect). To apply this philosophy, Hexa-X is designing 6G with three sustainability objectives in mind: to enable the reduction of emissions in 6G-powered sectors of society, to reduce the total cost of ownership and to improve energy efficiency. This paper describes these objectives, their associated KPIs and quantitative targets, and the levers to reach them. Furthermore, to maximize the positive effects of 6G through the enablement effect, a link between 6G and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) framework is proposed and illustrated by Hexa-X use case families.

Total cost of ownership

enablement effect

Sustainable 6G

Energy efficiency

6G for Sustain ability

Sustainability

6G

Author

Esteban Selva

Orange Innovation

Azeddine Gati

Nokia

Marie Helene Hamon

Orange Innovation

Bahare M. Khorsandi

Nokia

Stefan Wunderer

Nokia

Serge Bories

Grenoble Alpes University

Giorgio Calochira

TIM

Giuseppe Avino

TIM

Stefan Wanstedt

Ericsson

Pernilla Bergmark

Ericsson

Tommy Svensson

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Communication, Antennas and Optical Networks

Maria Matinmikko-Blue

University of Oulu

2023 IEEE International Conference on Communications Workshops: Sustainable Communications for Renaissance, ICC Workshops 2023

1588-1593
9798350333077 (ISBN)

2023 IEEE International Conference on Communications Workshops, ICC Workshops 2023
Rome, Italy,

A flagship for B5G/6G vision and intelligent fabric of technology enablers connecting human, physical, and digital worlds (Hexa-X )

European Commission (EC) (EC/HE/101120332), 2023-10-01 -- 2027-09-30.

European Commission (EC) (EC/2020/101015956), 2021-01-01 -- 2023-06-30.

Areas of Advance

Information and Communication Technology

Subject Categories

Communication Systems

DOI

10.1109/ICCWorkshops57953.2023.10283655

More information

Latest update

3/28/2024