Sustainable 6G connectivity leveraging 6G PATH project’s key value indicators for UN SDGs’ alignment

Imesha D. Premarathne; Vishanth Weerakkody; Jing Li; Uthayasankar Sivarajah; Kamran Mahroof; L. A. Shanaka Perera

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-16775-0_17

Sustainable 6G connectivity leveraging 6G PATH project’s key value indicators for UN SDGs’ alignment

Imesha D. Premarathne
, Vishanth Weerakkody
, Jing Li
, Uthayasankar Sivarajah
, Kamran Mahroof
, L. A. Shanaka Perera

University of Bradford

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

The path towards 6G technology is emerging as the next major revolution in the ICT industry that will impact most industry verticals across the globe. Evaluating the impact of such technology in terms of sustainability and its alignment with the United Nations (UN) Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) is therefore imperative. This paper aims to assess the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the 6G-PATH project through Key Value Indicators (KVIs) and their links to achieving UN SDGs. The study will discuss the application of KVIs on the 6G PATH project use cases to measure the impact of 6G technology on sustainability across selected industry verticals using Key Value Enablers (KVEs). This study extends beyond mapping KVIs to SDGs by introducing a Sustainability Trade-off Matrix, which systematically evaluates the interdependencies, upstream and downstream impacts, and potential negative externalities of 6G-enabled use cases. The study findings highlight why the sustainability of 6G technology is important and how the technology can be used to accelerate the progress of the UN SDGs. Further, the resulting framework provides a decision-support mechanism to ensure 6G deployment delivers net-positive sustainability outcomes while anticipating and managing unintended consequences.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Digital adoption, diffusion and innovation in the augmented and digital society
Editors	Amany Elbanna, Marijn Janssen, Yogesh K. Dwivedi, Mohammad Hossain, Anna Sigridur Islind
Place of Publication	Cham, Switzerland
Publisher	Springer Nature
Pages	255-284
Number of pages	30
ISBN (Electronic)	9783032167750
ISBN (Print)	9783032167743
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-16775-0_17
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2026
Event	23rd International Working Conference on Transfer and Diffusion of IT - Jakarta, Indonesia Duration: 2 Sept 2025 → 4 Sept 2025 Conference number: 23

Publication series

Name	IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Publisher	Springer Nature
ISSN (Print)	1868-4238
ISSN (Electronic)	1868-422X

Conference

Conference	23rd International Working Conference on Transfer and Diffusion of IT
Abbreviated title	TDIT 2025
Country/Territory	Indonesia
City	Jakarta
Period	2/09/25 → 4/09/25

Keywords

6G-PATH
KVIs
Sustainability
UN SDGs

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-032-16775-0_17Licence: Other

Embargoed Document

Sivarajah-U-53374175-AAM
Accepted author manuscript, 1.02 MB
Licence: Other
Embargo ends: 01/04/2027 00:00 BST

Cite this

Premarathne, I. D., Weerakkody, V., Li, J., Sivarajah, U., Mahroof, K., & Perera, L. A. S. (2026). Sustainable 6G connectivity leveraging 6G PATH project’s key value indicators for UN SDGs’ alignment. In A. Elbanna, M. Janssen, Y. K. Dwivedi, M. Hossain, & A. S. Islind (Eds.), Digital adoption, diffusion and innovation in the augmented and digital society (pp. 255-284). (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-16775-0_17

Premarathne, Imesha D. ; Weerakkody, Vishanth ; Li, Jing et al. / Sustainable 6G connectivity leveraging 6G PATH project’s key value indicators for UN SDGs’ alignment. Digital adoption, diffusion and innovation in the augmented and digital society. editor / Amany Elbanna ; Marijn Janssen ; Yogesh K. Dwivedi ; Mohammad Hossain ; Anna Sigridur Islind. Cham, Switzerland : Springer Nature, 2026. pp. 255-284 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology).

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title = "Sustainable 6G connectivity leveraging 6G PATH project{\textquoteright}s key value indicators for UN SDGs{\textquoteright} alignment",

abstract = "The path towards 6G technology is emerging as the next major revolution in the ICT industry that will impact most industry verticals across the globe. Evaluating the impact of such technology in terms of sustainability and its alignment with the United Nations (UN) Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) is therefore imperative. This paper aims to assess the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the 6G-PATH project through Key Value Indicators (KVIs) and their links to achieving UN SDGs. The study will discuss the application of KVIs on the 6G PATH project use cases to measure the impact of 6G technology on sustainability across selected industry verticals using Key Value Enablers (KVEs). This study extends beyond mapping KVIs to SDGs by introducing a Sustainability Trade-off Matrix, which systematically evaluates the interdependencies, upstream and downstream impacts, and potential negative externalities of 6G-enabled use cases. The study findings highlight why the sustainability of 6G technology is important and how the technology can be used to accelerate the progress of the UN SDGs. Further, the resulting framework provides a decision-support mechanism to ensure 6G deployment delivers net-positive sustainability outcomes while anticipating and managing unintended consequences.",

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language = "English",

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booktitle = "Digital adoption, diffusion and innovation in the augmented and digital society",

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Premarathne, ID, Weerakkody, V, Li, J, Sivarajah, U, Mahroof, K & Perera, LAS 2026, Sustainable 6G connectivity leveraging 6G PATH project’s key value indicators for UN SDGs’ alignment. in A Elbanna, M Janssen, YK Dwivedi, M Hossain & AS Islind (eds), Digital adoption, diffusion and innovation in the augmented and digital society. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, Springer Nature, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 255-284, 23rd International Working Conference on Transfer and Diffusion of IT, Jakarta, Indonesia, 2/09/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-16775-0_17

Sustainable 6G connectivity leveraging 6G PATH project’s key value indicators for UN SDGs’ alignment. / Premarathne, Imesha D.; Weerakkody, Vishanth; Li, Jing et al.
Digital adoption, diffusion and innovation in the augmented and digital society. ed. / Amany Elbanna; Marijn Janssen; Yogesh K. Dwivedi; Mohammad Hossain; Anna Sigridur Islind. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature, 2026. p. 255-284 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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T1 - Sustainable 6G connectivity leveraging 6G PATH project’s key value indicators for UN SDGs’ alignment

AU - Premarathne, Imesha D.

AU - Weerakkody, Vishanth

AU - Li, Jing

AU - Sivarajah, Uthayasankar

AU - Mahroof, Kamran

AU - Perera, L. A. Shanaka

N1 - Conference code: 23

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AB - The path towards 6G technology is emerging as the next major revolution in the ICT industry that will impact most industry verticals across the globe. Evaluating the impact of such technology in terms of sustainability and its alignment with the United Nations (UN) Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) is therefore imperative. This paper aims to assess the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the 6G-PATH project through Key Value Indicators (KVIs) and their links to achieving UN SDGs. The study will discuss the application of KVIs on the 6G PATH project use cases to measure the impact of 6G technology on sustainability across selected industry verticals using Key Value Enablers (KVEs). This study extends beyond mapping KVIs to SDGs by introducing a Sustainability Trade-off Matrix, which systematically evaluates the interdependencies, upstream and downstream impacts, and potential negative externalities of 6G-enabled use cases. The study findings highlight why the sustainability of 6G technology is important and how the technology can be used to accelerate the progress of the UN SDGs. Further, the resulting framework provides a decision-support mechanism to ensure 6G deployment delivers net-positive sustainability outcomes while anticipating and managing unintended consequences.

KW - 6G-PATH

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ER -

Premarathne ID, Weerakkody V, Li J, Sivarajah U, Mahroof K, Perera LAS. Sustainable 6G connectivity leveraging 6G PATH project’s key value indicators for UN SDGs’ alignment. In Elbanna A, Janssen M, Dwivedi YK, Hossain M, Islind AS, editors, Digital adoption, diffusion and innovation in the augmented and digital society. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature. 2026. p. 255-284. (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology). doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-16775-0_17

Sustainable 6G connectivity leveraging 6G PATH project’s key value indicators for UN SDGs’ alignment

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

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