Renewable Energy Critical To Keep Mobile Industry On Track For Net-Zero

Mobile network operators worldwide are making significant progress in reducing carbon emissions, according to the GSMA report. However, greater access to renewable energy, particularly in emerging markets, will be essential if the industry is to meet its climate targets and remain on track to achieve net zero by 2050.

The report, which analyses energy and emissions data from more than 110 mobile operators representing 85% of global mobile connections, shows that the industry’s operational emissions fell by 5% in 2024 alone and by 13% between 2019 and 2024. This has been achieved despite mobile connections increasing by 10% and data traffic more than quadrupling over the same period.

The findings highlight how energy efficiency improvements, network modernisation and increased use of renewable energy are helping operators reduce both emissions and operating costs. However, while emissions are falling across every region of the world, the report warns that progress must accelerate further if the sector is to achieve the 45% emissions reduction required by 2030 under the industry’s science-based pathway.

Renewable energy remains the single biggest driver of emissions reductions. Operators purchased or generated around 70 TWh of renewable electricity in 2024, equivalent to the total renewable electricity generation of Indonesia. The share of operator electricity sourced from renewables (in addition to renewables already in the grid mix) has more than doubled since 2019, from 10% to 24%.

The report recommends that governments play a critical enabling role in accelerating the transition by creating policy environments that encourage investment in renewable energy and grids, modernising electricity markets to improve corporate access to renewables, and streamlining permitting processes to accelerate clean energy deployment.

The report highlights that climate commitments continue to grow: as of June 2026, 81 mobile operators have near-term science-based targets, representing nearly half of global mobile connections and more than two-thirds of industry revenues. Fifty operators have committed to net zero targets, with 46 already validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). It also found that operational emissions are falling. The mobile industry’s operational emissions were estimated at 115 million tonnes of CO2e in 2024, representing around 0.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions fell by 5% in 2024, double the average annual reduction achieved over the previous four years.

The report states that renewable energy adoption is accelerating. Operators sourced one-quarter of their electricity from renewable energy in 2024, up from 10% in 2019. European operators had the highest share of renewables, sourcing around 70% of their electricity from renewables, followed by 50% in North America and 45% in Latin America. However, scope 3 emissions remain the biggest challenge. Around three-quarters of the sector’s total carbon footprint sits in the value chain, highlighting the importance of supplier engagement, circular economy initiatives and industry-wide collaboration.

Suppliers are increasingly setting climate targets and reducing emissions, but progress is uneven. More than half of selected cloud and IT service providers, network equipment manufacturers and mobile phone manufacturers have validated near-term targets, while less than a quarter of the largest towercos have validated targets. Tower companies represent a major decarbonisation challenge and opportunity. The world’s 100 largest tower companies operate around four million sites and consumed more than two billion litres of diesel in 2024. The report identifies significant opportunities to reduce emissions through greater use of solar power, batteries and improved energy management.

Also worth noting is that AI’s energy impact remains uncertain. While AI is driving significant growth in global data centre energy demand, its direct impact on mobile network energy consumption remains limited today. The report highlights the need for continued monitoring as AI adoption expands. Climate resilience is becoming increasingly important. As extreme weather events become more frequent, operators are increasingly focusing on climate adaptation and resilience to ensure networks remain reliable and operational in a changing climate.

The report calls on operators to continue improving energy efficiency, sunset legacy networks, increase renewable energy use, and strengthen engagement with suppliers on emissions reductions. It also urges industry suppliers – particularly tower companies – to improve climate disclosures, set climate targets, and accelerate adoption of clean energy and circularity.

For governments, the report highlights the importance of policies that support the net zero transition by accelerating renewable energy deployment, liberalising electricity markets, incentivising repair and refurbishment, and recognising communications networks as critical infrastructure within national resilience planning.