Written by Harry Baldock
SubOptic Foundation, the charitable arm of the SubOptic Association which focuses its efforts on education and research, has announced the publication of the Report on Best Practices in Subsea Telecommunications Cable Sustainability.
Subsea telecommunications cables have long been recognized as enabling a more sustainable future, while they themselves have a marginal carbon footprint. Thus, they have often been left out of studies of internet sustainability. Yet the subsea telecommunications industry is making efforts to reduce its carbon footprint to an even lower level. The Sustainable Subsea Networks Report describes an array of existing and potential sustainable practices for the subsea cable industry. These include accounting and disclosing CO₂ emissions, setting targets, sustainable design and operations, purchase and installation of renewable energy, and recycling and recovery, among other areas.
Erick Contag, chairperson of the SubOptic Foundation, summed it up,“This report is the first major stepping stone in the SubOptic Foundation’s efforts to encourage and support collaboration among the subsea telecommunications cable industry on vital issues for our future. With the recent extension of our grant from the Internet Society Foundation, we’re anticipating even greater contributions to the industry and the global communications footprint in the future. I’d like to thank all of SubOptic’s members and others throughout the subsea cable industry who continue to be part of making this a reality.”
