Youbang Guan

As the rollout of 5G accelerates, its soaring energy demand poses a growing climate challenge. According to a World Bank Group report, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is responsible at least 1.7 % of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study examines an intelligent suite of energy-saving methods—particularly deep reinforcement learning sleep modes, adaptive RIS, and cluster-zooming cell-free MIMO at the network edge, alongside dynamic power adjustments on user devices—and quantifies their environmental impact using an ICT-focused environmentally extended input-output (EEIO) model. Anchored in the UK’s 2019 economic and emissions data, the model captures both production and consumption effects across 33 sectors. Results spotlight two standout strategies—AI-powered base station sleep control and refined user device signaling—as catalysts for deep, economy-wide CO2 reductions. Notably, the financial, IT services, and programming sectors benefit most from these ripple effects. Our findings outline practical paths towards greener 5G deployments and underscore policy opportunities to amplify their socioeconomic value.

Industrial aquaponics systems (IAS) integrate aquaculture and hydroponics in a closed-loop design, offering a promising solution to sustainable protein production. However, their environmental performance remains insufficiently quantified, particularly in China. This study presents one of the first life cycle assessments (LCAs) of a large-scale IAS in Chongqing, based on operational data from a smart facility producing ~114,700 kg of largemouth bass and ~86,500 kg of vegetables annually. The analysis adopts a cradle-to-gate scope with a functional unit of 1 kg of marketable fish and employs the CML-IA method to assess ten midpoint impact categories. Results indicate that fish feed and electricity consumption are the dominant contributors to environmental burdens, particularly in global warming potential, eutrophication, and human toxicity. Scenario and sensitivity analyses reveal that reducing fishmeal content in feed and switching from coal-based electricity to renewable sources can significantly lower impacts. Comparisons with conventional protein sources demonstrate that aquaponics fish outperform pork and beef in most environmental categories when impacts are normalized by nutritional value. This study highlights key environmental hotspots and proposes viable optimization strategies, offering practical insights into the design and operation of climate-smart aquaponics systems. The findings provide a science-based reference for policymakers and practitioners aiming to promote resource-efficient food systems in urban China.