Telecoms industry sets pathway to achieve net zero emissions

The Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTi) has approved the first-ever science-based pathway established by telecom-focused organisations to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the Information and communications technology (ICT) sector.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and industry organisations such as GeSI and the GSMA, as well as the SBTi, worked on the pathway. GSMA said in a statement that the trajectory recommendations released on Thursday will help sector players set their own GHG reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreement. The organisation introduced a Climate Toolkit, which can be found here.

GSMA’s goal is to help the industry achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The pathway establishes emissions trajectory reductions over this decade for each ICT sub-sector, including requirements for mobile network operators to lower emissions by at least 45% by 2030. Companies committed to Science-Based Targets (SBTs) will have to set one target for their combined Scope 1 and 2 emissions, while providing additional guidance for managing Scope 3 emissions.

Sector players with SBTs are expected to switch to renewable and low-carbon power, while also becoming more energy efficient.

A total of 29 telecom operator groups around the world, including US-based AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) and Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ), have already committed to SBTs, according to the announcement. Non-US operators with expressed commitments include India’s Bharti Airtel Ltd (BOM:532454), Germany’s Deutsche Telekom AG (ETR:DTE), the UK's Vodafone Group Plc (LON:VOD), Japan’s NTT Docomo Inc (TYO:9437) and Spain’s Telefonica SA (BME:TEF), among others. Together with the US SBT pledgers, they represent 30% of global mobile connections.

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