An increasing number of mobile networks globally are making efforts to combat the climate crisis. A report by the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona states that the mobile industry body GSMA reported almost a quart of energy used by the mobile sector comes from renewable sources and has increased from 14 percent in 2020, according to CNET.
62 mobile network carriers are committed to decreasing their direct and indirect emissions by 2030. The GSMA is spearheading an industry-wide drive to ensure carriers reach net zero emissions by 2050.
Access to Renewable Energy
One of the challenges here is that carriers may struggle to access renewable energy. However, this won't long be a problem because the industry is moving forward with operators now buying 24 percent of their electricity from renewable source.
Still, there is a need to expand access to renewable energy as carrier demand outstrips supply.
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What Mobile Operators are Doing
T-Mobile is making great strides in reducing its carbon impact in the US. It is the first company in the US wireless sector to set a net zero goal that has been validated by the Science Based Target initiative. So far, it is one of only a few networks to set a net zero by 240 target instead of 2050.
Verizon and At&T have aligned themselves with the 1.5 degrees pathway, with Verizon committing to net zero emissions by 2050. In addition to setting their own emissions targets, the three major US carriers are also investing in renewable energy projects.
Verizon and AT&T have both announced investments in renewable energy projects that will generate enough electricity to power their operations by 2025.
The carriers are also investing in energy efficiency initiatives, such as reducing energy use in network operations and deploying energy efficient equipment in their network infrastructure. Additionally, they are working with their suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of their products and services.
The mobile operators are also looking at ways to reduce their environmental impact beyond just reducing emissions. They are investing in green initiatives such as recycling materials and using renewable energy sources for powering their operations. Additionally, they have committed to purchasing carbon offsets from other companies or organizations that invest in projects that help mitigate climate change.
Furthermore, the carriers are exploring new technologies such as 5G networks which can provide faster speeds with lower power consumption than current 4G networks; this could lead to a reduction of electricity used by these networks and an overall decrease of greenhouse gas emissions generated by them.
The mobile operators are also working on developing more efficient devices through partnerships with device manufacturers like Apple and Samsung who use recycled components whenever possible when producing new phones.
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