This marks a significant decoupling of emissions from service expansion, reflecting both efficiency improvements and shifts to cleaner power sources. However, the pace of progress is still out of step with the sector’s climate commitments. To stay on track for its 2050 net zero target, the industry needs to cut emissions by 7.5% annually through 2030—more than double the recent average.
Preliminary 2024 data offers some encouragement, showing a 4.5% drop in operational emissions. But that’s still not enough to bridge the gap between ambition and action.
While industry-wide coordination is strengthening—77 operators now participate in GSMA’s Climate Action Taskforce, covering 80% of global connections—translating commitments into meaningful, system-wide reductions remains a challenge.
European operators have led the way, slashing operational emissions by 56% since 2019, followed by 44% in North America and 36% in Latin America. The improvement is tied closely to increased use of renewable energy. Among operators reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project, 37% of electricity now comes from renewables, up from just 13% four years ago. These shifts avoided 16 million tonnes of emissions.
In China—the world’s largest mobile market with over one billion 5G connections—a turnaround is emerging. After emissions rose 7% between 2019 and 2023, early 2024 data shows a 4% decline. This reversal is tied to a more than fourfold increase in renewable energy use by Chinese operators.
But the industry’s biggest challenge lies outside operations. Scope 3 emissions, which include manufacturing, supply chains, and device lifecycle, account for over two-thirds of telecom's total footprint. These indirect emissions remain harder to measure and manage—especially for operators with science-based targets that include full value chain reductions.
One promising path is through the circular economy. GSMA data shows 90% of users value device longevity and repairability, and nearly half are open to buying refurbished phones. That’s a climate win: reused phones generate up to 90% fewer emissions than new ones.
With the second-hand device market projected to hit $150 billion by 2027, operators are beginning to respond. Refurbished phones are now a growing part of business models, helping telcos reduce environmental impact while offering more affordable options to consumers.
