Telefónica has been developing and expanding in recent years its portfolio of products and services based on connectivity, such as Internet of Things (IoT), cloud, big data, AI, and 5G. These solutions can generate environmental benefits by reducing energy consumption, water use, CO₂ emissions, and by promoting circular economy practices.
Digital and connectivity solutions are a key element in the green digital transition, as they can help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by up to 15% when applied in sectors such as energy, industry, agriculture, construction and transport, and up to 35% when considering their potential to change people’s habits.
An example of this occurred in 2024, when thanks to the environmental efficiencies generated by its connectivity services and Eco Smart solutions, Telefónica helped its customers in Spain, Brazil and Germany avoid the emission of 17.4 million tonnes of CO₂eq.
These results are obtained through the application of a methodology developed for the calculation of avoided emissions. This methodology defines the scope of the solutions analysed and identifies baseline scenarios based on conventional technologies compared to scenarios with digital solutions. It also collects activity and usage data for each digital solution, calculates greenhouse gas emissions associated with both scenarios (using internationally recognised emission factors), and compares both scenarios to determine avoided emissions. It also incorporates aspects of transparency, traceability and verifiability, ensuring that it is replicable and auditable.
IK Ingeniería has played a key role in the development of this methodological framework. Our contribution has focused on:
- Design and validation of the avoided emissions calculation methodology
- Definition of system boundaries and baseline scenarios
- Contribution of robustness criteria and alignment with international standards (ITU-T L.1480 and WBCSD Guidance on avoided emissions)
- Development and enhancement of the emissions calculation engine
- Technical support in the practical application of the methodology across different sectors and use cases (within connected life solutions and Internet of Things (IoT))
Thanks to this methodology, Telefónica can robustly quantify the emissions avoided through the use of digital solutions in sectors such as mobility and energy, demonstrating that these contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of its customers’ economy.
For more information, you can consult Telefónica’s green digitalisation section.