6G versus sustainability: does it risk to be mostly contributing to the problem? Or can it be a driver for solutions?

As a fact 6G should be both a potential enabler of sustainability in other sectors (6G for Sustainability), and a sustainable technology itself (Sustainable 6G). To achieve this objective, sustainability must be integrated from the very beginning of the design phase and across the full life cycle.

This workshop advocates for a broad approach to sustainability that goes beyond energy efficiency, considering other aspects related to environmental sustainability, and addressing the other two sustainability pillars, namely social and economic sustainability. The scope of the workshop encompasses both foundational research and applied innovations across diverse verticals such as smart agriculture, energy systems, healthcare, mobility, logistics, and many others. It invites contributions that demonstrate how 6G can be leveraged to reduce environmental footprint (i.e., negative first-order effects), enhance digital inclusion, and foster resilient infrastructures, but also show innovations that can make 6G a sustainable technology by design. Special emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary collaborations that integrate technological advancements with ethical, regulatory, and socio-economic aspects. As next-generation networks evolve, it is imperative to embed sustainability at the core of their design, deployment, and application. This workshop will serve as a platform to discuss innovative approaches, share best practices, and co-create actionable strategies that align with broader visions of sustainability, across the three pillars and from different world region perspectives.