Despite stronger climate commitments by mobile operators across Asia Pacific, emissions in emerging Asian markets have risen by more than 20% since 2019 due to growth in connectivity demand and limited access to renewable energy
10th September 2026, Kuala Lumpur: Mobile operators across Asia Pacific are making progress towards net zero, but greater access to renewable energy, enabled by energy market reform, is essential to continue on that path, according to the GSMA’s new Mobile Net Zero: Asia Pacific – Regional Focus on Climate Action 2026 report, launched today at M360 ASEAN 2026
Demand for digital connectivity has surged in Asia Pacific, with mobile data traffic up 350% and mobile connections up 6% between 2019 and 2024. Operational emissions in the region rose 6% over the same period, but trends vary significantly between markets. In Southeast Asia, for example, including Malaysia, operator emissions increased by around 20%, driven by growing connectivity demand and network expansion in markets where access to renewables remains a challenge. In Japan and Oceania, operators cut their emissions by more than 30%, thanks to strong progress on renewables.
The region accounts for a large and growing share of global emissions while also bearing some of the most severe climate impacts, from intensifying typhoons and floods to sea level rise across low-lying coasts and island states.
Climate action is a priority for operators across Asia Pacific, and the majority of the industry has set ambitious climate targets. 21 operators have validated near-term science-based targets, representing 55% of mobile connections in the region. 13 operators also have validated net-zero targets, with the earliest targets aiming for 2040. Enabling policies that support renewables access across all markets are needed for operators to meet their targets, reduce energy costs, and boost resilience.
Mobile operators across Asia Pacific purchased or generated 7 TWh of renewable electricity in 2024, equivalent to around 15% of their total electricity consumption – up from just 1% in 2019. However, the region remains below the global average of 24% and well behind advanced markets such as Europe (70%) and North America (50%). In Japan and Australia, operators have achieved renewables shares of over 50%, but in emerging markets like Southeast Asia, operators matched just 4% of their electricity consumption with renewables due to barriers in renewable energy access. In Malaysia, this figure is at 5%.
Some operators in Southeast Asia have made progress on renewable energy. For example, Globe Telecom in the Philippines met a third of its electricity needs in 2025 with renewables, while Telekom Malaysia and True (Thailand) reached over 20%. In some markets, mechanisms to procure off-site renewable energy remain limited or in the early stages of development, while in others, high costs and a lack of options suited to distributed loads such as mobile towers remain barriers. An important share of the industry’s suppliers also operate in the region, making renewable energy access critical to achieving industry-wide net zero. The GSMA has been engaging governments in the region – including in Malaysia – to advocate for policies and electricity markets to support renewable energy access for operators and other companies.
“Mobile operators across Asia Pacific are strengthening their climate commitments and investing in more efficient networks to meet growing demand. But progress on reducing emissions will be difficult without greater access to renewable electricity,” said Steven Moore, Head of Climate Action at the GSMA.
“The region’s growing demand for connectivity and energy makes this an urgent issue. Operators need access to renewable energy across the markets where they operate, including mechanisms that work for distributed infrastructure such as mobile towers. Policymakers play a critical role in creating the conditions for investment in renewable energy and modern grids. Expanding access to clean, reliable power will help the mobile industry reduce emissions, manage energy costs and build more resilient networks.”
Key findings from the report:
- Climate commitments continue to grow: 21 mobile operators in Asia Pacific have validated near-term science-based targets, covering 55% of mobile connections and three-quarters of revenues. 13 operators, covering 40% of connections, have validated net-zero targets.
- Emissions trends differ sharply by market: Operational emissions in Asia Pacific reached around 23 MtCO2e in 2024 and rose 6% between 2019 and 2024. Operators in Japan and Oceania cut their emissions by 30%, while emissions increased by around 20% in Southeast Asia between 2019 and 2024.
- Energy demand and costs are rising: Mobile operators in Asia Pacific spent around $7 billion on energy in 2024, consuming 50 TWh of electricity and 350 million litres in diesel and gasoline. Energy is a large and growing cost for mobile operators, and these costs are likely to grow in 2026 due to the ongoing energy crisis. With many countries in Asia Pacific dependent on fossil fuel imports, renewable energy can help cut costs and emissions while boosting resilience.
- Renewable energy access remains uneven: Operators across Asia Pacific purchased or generated 7 TWh of renewable electricity in 2024, around 15% of consumption. The corresponding share was more than 50% in Japan and Australia but only 8% in South Asia and 4% in Southeast Asia. Further policy support is needed across all markets to unlock renewables access across the region.
- Scope 3 remains the largest part of the footprint: Scope 3 emissions were estimated at around 110 MtCO2e in 2024, making up more than 80% of the mobile industry’s overall footprint in Asia Pacific.
The GSMA supports operators to improve network energy efficiency, retire legacy networks where possible, increase renewable energy use and strengthen engagement with suppliers and tower companies. It calls on suppliers and tower companies to improve climate disclosures, set science-based targets, increase the use of clean energy and incorporate ecodesign and circularity into products.
For governments, the report recommends enabling renewable energy procurement and aggregation mechanisms for distributed telecom loads, streamlining clean energy and grid permitting, reforming electricity market designs, and accelerating coal phase-outs. It calls for mobile networks to be recognised as critical infrastructure in climate resilience planning.
Read Mobile Net Zero: Asia Pacific – Regional Focus on Climate Action 2026 here.
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The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.
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