Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Understanding Climate Action
Why climate action is relevant to the mobile industry
Every industry has a role to play in the net zero transition. The climate impacts of the mobile industry are relatively small compared to heavy industry, transport and agriculture, but still need to be reduced if the world is to achieve net zero.
The Climate Action Handbook and FAQs give an overview of the mobile industry’s climate impacts and where they come from.
The Climate Action Handbook and FAQs give an overview of the mobile industry’s climate impacts and where they come from.
For a complete overview of climate action across the mobile sector, see the annual Mobile Net Zero report below.
There is a role for mobile in helping other industries decarbonise as well, by using connected technologies to reduce carbon emissions, protect biodiversity and better manage climate adaptation and resilience.
There is a role for mobile in helping other industries decarbonise as well, by using connected technologies to reduce carbon emissions, protect biodiversity and better manage climate adaptation and resilience.
Climate Action Handbook
The GSMA-led Climate Action Handbook is designed to guide, inform and prepare anyone working within the mobile ecosystem on how to adapt and respond to the climate emergency.
This informative and objective overview allows mobile operators, customers, partners and suppliers to take ownership of their emissions, kickstart efforts to reduce them and explore what actions the industry is collectively taking to limit global warming to 1.5C.
Mobile Net Zero
This report is the fifth assessment the GSMA has made of the progress of the mobile industry against its ambition to be net zero by 2050.
It provides key recommendations for how mobile network operators, suppliers and governments can work together to accelerate progress across the sector.
A growing number of operators are publicly disclosing their climate impacts. 78 mobile network operators representing nearly 60% of mobile connections globally disclosed to the CDP in 2024, up from 61 in 2020.
In addition, data was gathered from an additional 23 operators’ sustainability reports, bringing the total coverage of disclosures to 101 operators representing 82% of connections.
A growing number of operators are publicly disclosing their climate impacts. 78 mobile network operators representing nearly 60% of mobile connections globally disclosed to the CDP in 2024, up from 61 in 2020.
In addition, data was gathered from an additional 23 operators’ sustainability reports, bringing the total coverage of disclosures to 101 operators representing 82% of connections.
Climate Transition Planning Guidance for Telecommunication Companies
As connectivity underpins nearly every facet of the global economy, the need to transition to net zero networks has never been more pressing. A key tool for an organisation to turn pledges into progress is a Climate Transition Plan.
A Climate Transition Plan maps out the step-by-step journey that operators can take to align corporate strategy with climate goals and achieve our industry net zero target. This new publication, ‘Climate Transition Planning Guidance for Telecommunication Companies’ provides a standardised framework for operators to develop their own transition plans.
Developed by the GSMA, with the ITU and Carbon Trust, the guidance aligns with international sustainability reporting standards and is designed to enhance the quality and consistency of transition planning across the telecom sector globally.
A Climate Transition Plan maps out the step-by-step journey that operators can take to align corporate strategy with climate goals and achieve our industry net zero target. This new publication, ‘Climate Transition Planning Guidance for Telecommunication Companies’ provides a standardised framework for operators to develop their own transition plans.
Developed by the GSMA, with the ITU and Carbon Trust, the guidance aligns with international sustainability reporting standards and is designed to enhance the quality and consistency of transition planning across the telecom sector globally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Taking action to reach net zero can be difficult. There are lots of questions and it’s not always easy to find the answers. We have collated the questions we are most often asked and answered them all in one place.
View FAQs