GSMA Urges Clean Energy Access for Mobile Net Zero Goal

Mobile operators have reduced their operational carbon emissions by 13% between 2019 and 2024, according to the latest research from the GSMA.

This environmental progress has been achieved despite a 10% increase in mobile connections and data traffic more than quadrupling over the same five-year period.

More impressively, operational emissions fell by 5% in 2024 alone – double the average annual rate of reduction achieved over the previous four years.

The GSMA’s Mobile Net Zero 2026: State of the Industry on Climate Action report analyses energy and emissions data from more than 110 mobile operators, representing 85% of global mobile connections.

While emissions are falling across every region of the world, the trade association warns that progress must accelerate to hit the 45% reduction target required by 2030 under the industry-agreed and science-based pathway.

Operational emissions fall

The global mobile industry produced an estimated 115 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in operational emissions during 2024, representing about 0.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“The mobile industry continues to demonstrate that economic growth, digital connectivity and climate action can go hand in hand,” says John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer at the GSMA.

“Operators are connecting more people, carrying more data and supporting digital economies around the world while still reducing emissions.”

Renewable energy deployment

Sourcing clean electricity is the largest single driver of decarbonisation, with mobile operators purchasing or generating approximately 70TWh of renewable power in 2024.

This clean energy volume is equivalent to Indonesia’s entire annual renewable electricity generation.

The share of corporate electricity that operators source from renewable contracts has more than doubled from 10% in 2019 to 24% in 2024.

Regional progress is varied. European operators source 70% of their electricity from renewables, compared with 50% in North America and 45% in Latin America.

“The progress we are seeing is encouraging, but more needs to be done,” says John.

“Access to renewable energy remains one of the biggest factors determining how quickly operators can decarbonise.

“Policymakers have a vital role in creating the conditions that enable investment in clean energy infrastructure and accelerate the transition to net zero.”

Supply chain hurdles

The report points out that around three-quarters of the mobile sector’s total carbon footprint sits within Scope 3 emissions, which are indirect emissions generated throughout the broader supplier network.

While over half of the surveyed software, cloud and hardware providers have validated near-term goals, less than a quarter of the world’s largest tower companies have done so.

According to the GSMA, these tower companies present a significant opportunity for emissions reduction, as the 100 largest firms operate four million sites and together consumed over two billion litres of diesel in 2024.

The target validation process is managed by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which is an independent global body that assesses whether corporate emission targets align with climate science.

Currently, 81 mobile operators have established near-term science-based targets, which represent nearly half of global connections and over two-thirds of industry revenues.

Additionally, 50 operators have committed to net zero targets, with 46 of these plans already validated by the SBTi.

Call for policy support

To accelerate progress, the trade body urges governments to liberalise electricity markets, streamline permitting processes, incentivise the repair and refurbishment of equipment and recognise communications networks as critical infrastructure within national resilience planning.  

“Mobile networks are critical infrastructure for modern societies and economies," John says.

“Ensuring they can access affordable, reliable renewable energy will not only help reduce emissions, but also strengthen energy security, improve resilience and support sustainable economic growth.”

The GSMA also encourages network operators to continuously improve energy efficiency, phase out legacy networks and engage deeper with suppliers regarding emissions.

While the rapid expansion of AI is accelerating energy demand in global data centres, the report indicates that its direct impact on mobile network energy consumption is limited for now.