Sustainable 6G by Design - An SNS-Driven Vision for AI-Native, System-Level Sustainability.
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This technical report provides a comprehensive framework for embedding holistic sustainability directly into the architecture of next-generation 6G networks. It shifts the focus from simple hardware energy efficiency to an end-to-end approach covering environmental, social, and economic dimensions. The paper details key trade-offs in AI-native systems, identifies standardisation and research gaps, and outlines strategies to reduce 6G's direct footprint while maximising its positive impact ("handprint") across vertical industries like energy and transport. Note: This report is a collaborative work done by various projects. It was presented at the EuCNC & 6G Summit 2026 during Workshop 11: "Sustainable by Design, Sustainable in Operation: The 6G Perspective". Authors/ Contributors: Chiara Lombardo (University of Genoa); Artur Hecker (Huawei); Rui L. Aguiar (Instituto de Telecomunicações); Anna Aseeva (Digital for Planet); Ayat Zaki Hindi (LIST); Akshay Jain (Nokia); Anastasius Gavras (Erescom); Katrina Petersen (PSC Europe); Mays AL-Naday (University of Sussex); Eva Hajdok, Massimo Neri (Martel Innovate); Carlos Jesus Bernardos Cano (UC3M); Christoph Schmelz (Nokia); Stefan Wendt (Orange); Sébastien Faye (LIST)
Language: English
Topic: Green IT and Sustainability
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: European Commission
Awards: Beyond 5G Artificial Intelligence Assisted Energy Efficient Open Radio Access Network, Deep Programmability and Secure Distributed Intelligence for Real-Time End-to-End 6G Networks, SUSTainability-Advanced and Innovative Networking with 6G, TRials supported by Smart Networks beyond 5G, 6G Vertical trials for Sustainability, Truly Sustainable Printed Electronics-based IoT Combining Optical and Radio Wireless Technologies, A holistic flagship towards the 6G network platform and system, to inspire digital transformation, for the world to act together in meeting needs in society and ecosystems with novel 6G services, Net-Zero self-adaptive activation of distributed self-resilient augmented services, Green Technologies for 5/6G Service-Based Architectures, Towards an AI-native, user-centric air interface for 6G networks, Satellite and Terrestrial Access for Distributed, Ubiquitous, and Smart Telecommunications, Devise & explore a novel approach for energy consumption and carbon footprint reduction of ICT services in the era of next-generation mobile telecommunications (6G), Holistic, Omnipresent, Resilient Services for future 6G Wireless and Computing Ecosystems, Supporting Architectural and technological Network evolutions through an intelligent, secureD and twinning enaBled Open eXperimentation facility, 6G Goal-Oriented AI-enabled Learning and Semantic Communication Networks, AI-Enhanced fibre-Wireless Optical 6G network in support of connected mobility, Optimized resource integration and global architecture for mobile infrastructure for 6G, Integrating Network Digital Twinning into Future AI-based 6G Systems, 6G Non Terrestrial Networks
OpenAlex ID: W7164877942
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