AT&T Commits To Be Carbon Neutral by 2035; Announces Nationwide Expansion of Climate Resilience Tool

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AT&T has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality across its global operations by 2035. To support this goal, the company is expanding its Climate Change Analysis Tool (CCAT) to assess climate impacts on its network for the next 30 years. Key initiatives include enhancing energy efficiency, transitioning to a low-emissions fleet, and investing in carbon offsets. Over the past five years, AT&T invested over $135 billion in its networks. Despite these efforts, the company has incurred $1 billion in costs due to climate-related events since 2016.

Positive

• Commitment to become carbon neutral by 2035.
• Invested over $135 billion in networks over five years.
• Expansion of CCAT to understand future climate impacts.

Negative

• Accumulated costs of $1 billion from climate-related severe weather events since 2016.

DALLAS, Sept. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* has committed to be carbon neutral across its entire global operations by 2035. The company is also expanding its Climate Change Analysis Tool (CCAT) across the contiguous United States to identify the potential impacts of climate change on the network and operations – up to 30 years into the future.

The company will achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissionsⁱ – the yearly equivalent of 1,104,036 homes' electricity useⁱⁱ – by focusing on six key initiatives:

• Virtualization of many network functions: AT&T will be eliminating significant portions of energy-intense network equipment and rely instead on low-cost, energy-efficient hardware that can virtualize the functions of the network equipment. As a result, the company will be able to deploy new capabilities faster, utilize less energy and lower its greenhouse gas emissions footprint. The company currently has 75% of its core network functions virtualized.
• Transitioning to a low-emissions fleet: AT&T will continue to bring down emissions from its operational fleet by optimizing routes, switching to hybrid vehicles and reducing the overall size of the fleet. The company is also planning for the decarbonization of its fleet.
• Accelerating energy efficiency and network optimization efforts: Each year, AT&T implements thousands of energy efficiency projects across its network and operations, bringing down electricity use and reducing costs.
• Expanding sustainable feature film and TV production: WarnerMedia reduces the energy and resource consumption associated with film and television production through cleantech solutions, sustainable products, and reuse and waste reduction efforts.
• Supporting the renewable energy marketplace: By entering into power purchase agreements with renewable energy developers, AT&T reduces its emissions footprint, hedges against rising energy costs and helps to add more clean electricity to the U.S. power grid.
• Investing in carbon offsets: Though AT&T aims to reduce its footprint to as close to zero emissions as possible, there may be some sources of emissions that cannot be eliminated. In these cases, the company will invest in carbon offsets to cover the associated emissions.

Expanding the Industry-leading Climate Change Analysis Tool to Better Prepare for Natural Disasters

While striving for carbon neutrality, AT&T knows it also needs to continue its path of adaptation and resilience. Thus, the company is expanding its industry-leading Climate Change Analysis Tool (CCAT) from four pilot states in the Southeast to the entire contiguous U.S. to identify the potential impacts of climate change on its network and operations – up to 30 years into the future. Climate impacts will include flooding and hurricanes, as well as drought and wildfire projections across the U.S.

Over the past 5 years (2015-2019), AT&T invested more than $135 billion in its wireless and wireline networks, including capital investments and acquisition of wireless spectrum and operations. Over this same period, AT&T invested more in the United States than any other public company. AT&T has spent about $1 billion recovering from climate-related severe weather events since 2016. With the expansion and implementation of CCAT, AT&T can better ensure the resilience of its infrastructure.

"Our network is tested by climate change and natural disasters every year," said John Stankey, AT&T chief executive officer. "We recognize the long-term impact these commitments can have, and we owe it to the millions of customers who rely on our services to create the most resilient and sustainable business we can."

A CCAT pilot, supported by climate change projections from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, launched in 2019 and focused on the regional climate impacts in the Southeast such as hurricanes and flooding. For example, AT&T can cross-reference its fiber cable locations with projected sea-level rise in the year 2050 to understand where to harden its existing infrastructure and to better plan for future builds with resilience top of mind.

Last year, the company launched the AT&T Climate Resiliency Community Challenge for universities to collaborate with local governments in the Southeast to conduct climate risk analysis using the data developed by Argonne National Laboratory and shared by AT&T. AT&T provided $250,000 to assess climate risks and help boost community resilience in 5 geographies. University and community recipients were Appalachian State University (Boone, NC), Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA), University of Georgia (Athens, GA), University of Miami (Miami, FL) and University of South Florida (St. Petersburg, FL).

As with the pilot, AT&T will make the climate modeling data calculated by Argonne National Laboratory for AT&T available to the public, including universities, municipalities and others, to use in their own climate risk analysis.

To read more about AT&T's efforts, click here.

ⁱ Scope 1 emissions include direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by the company (such as the fleet). Scope 2 emissions include indirect emissions that result from the generation of purchased energy.
ⁱⁱ EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator. https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator

*About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a diversified, global leader in telecommunications, media and entertainment, and technology. WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content to global audiences through its consumer brands, including: HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Turner Classic Movies. Xandr, now part of WarnerMedia, provides marketers with innovative and relevant advertising solutions for consumers around premium video content and digital advertising through its platform. AT&T Communications provides more than 100 million U.S. consumers with entertainment and communications experiences across TV, mobile and broadband. Plus, it serves high-speed, highly secure connectivity and smart solutions to nearly 3 million business customers. AT&T Latin America provides pay-TV services across 10 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean and wireless services to consumers and businesses in Mexico.

AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. Additional information is available at about.att.com. © 2020 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

 

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.

FAQ

What is AT&T's carbon neutrality goal?

AT&T aims to be carbon neutral across its global operations by 2035.

What initiatives is AT&T implementing for carbon neutrality?

AT&T is focusing on energy efficiency, a low-emissions fleet, and carbon offsets.

How much has AT&T invested in its networks recently?

Over the past five years, AT&T has invested more than $135 billion in its wireless and wireline networks.

What is the Climate Change Analysis Tool (CCAT)?

CCAT is a tool AT&T is expanding to assess climate impacts on its network for the next 30 years.

How much has AT&T spent on climate-related severe weather events?

AT&T has spent about $1 billion recovering from climate-related severe weather events since 2016.