This year’s Earth Day theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” is a global call to accelerate the shift to clean energy and create a future built on sustainability. As climate challenges intensify, this moment calls for practical, scalable action to reduce emissions and transition toward more sustainable systems.
The urgency is real – global CO2 emissions rose to a record 37.4 billion metric tonnes in 2024, according to the Global Carbon Project. The IPCC has warned that to limit global warming to 1.5 ºC degree, global emissions must be halved by 2030.
While global carbon emissions reached a record high in 2024, there are promising signs of progress. In the UK, greenhouse gas emissions fell by 4% last year—thanks to reduced use of coal and gas in electricity generation and industry. Notably, the UK also recorded its cleanest energy mix ever, with 58% of electricity generation coming from low-carbon sources, including wind, solar, and nuclear energy.
Smart infrastructure plays a critical role in this transition. In street lighting, implementing smart control systems allows cities to get the most from their LED upgrades- delivering features like remote management, adaptive dimming, and real time diagnostics. These systems can help achieve up to 70% energy savings when paired with LED technology, significantly reducing energy use and operational emissions.
At Telensa, we’ve seen the results. Our project with Leicestershire County Council helped cut emissions from streetlighting by 84% over 12 years, providing that meaningful progress is achievable when smart solutions are applied at scale.
To align with Earth Day’s mission, industries can take the following actions:
As we mark Earth Day 2025, the message is clear: the tools for change exist- and the responsibility to act is shared. At Telensa, we continue to support cities in building cleaner, smarter, and more resilient communities through innovation in lighting technology.