The GSMA warned access to renewable energy is emerging as a key constraint for operators seeking to hit their net zero targets in Asia Pacific, despite headway being made in cutting carbon emissions.

In its latest Mobile Net Zero report, the industry association found that while climate commitments are growing, meeting those goals will depend on greater investment in renewable energy and cooperation between operators, suppliers and governments.

As of July 2026, 21 operators have validated near-term science-based targets, covering 55% of mobile connections in the region, while 13 have validated net zero targets.

“Progress on reducing emissions will be difficult without greater access to renewable electricity,” noted GSMA head of climate action Steven Moore, adding “the region’s growing demand for connectivity and energy makes this an urgent issue”.

The industry association called on operators to improve network energy efficiency, retire legacy networks and integrate eco-friendly design into their network architectures.

It also urged policymakers to reform energy and electricity markets, enable faster permissions for renewable energy and grid projects, accelerate coal phase-outs and support renewable procurement and aggregation for distributed telecom loads.

Looking ahead, the GSMA called on governments to recognise mobile networks as “critical infrastructure in climate resilience planning”.

Limited access
The latest report cited figures from 2019 to 2024. During the period, operational emissions from mobile operators across Asia Pacific rose 6%, with limited access to renewable energy hampering efforts to cut carbon output in the region. Emissions reached around 23 million tonnes of CO2e in 2024, though progress varied sharply between markets.

Operators in Japan and Oceania reduced emissions by 30% during the period, while Southeast Asia recorded an increase of around 20% driven by ballooning demand. During the same period, the report noted mobile data traffic across Asia Pacific surged 350% and mobile connections increased 6%.

The GSMA attributed the split to renewable energy access. Operators across Asia Pacific purchased or generated 7TWh of renewable electricity in 2024, equivalent to around 15% of their total consumption. Yet, the region still trails the 24% global average, with Europe leading at 70% and North America following at 50%.

In Japan and Australia, operators sourced more than half of their electricity from renewables.  However, Southeast Asian operators matched just 4% of their electricity consumption with renewables.

Operators are also facing rising energy costs. The sector spent around $7 billion on energy in Asia Pacific in 2024, consuming nearly 50TWh of electricity and 350 million litres of diesel and gasoline.

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