Asia Pacific Mobile Operators Face Emissions Challenge As Renewable Energy Access Lags Behind Global Average

Mobile operators across Asia Pacific are making progress on climate commitments, but emissions in emerging markets across the region have risen by more than 20 per cent since 2019 due to growing demand for connectivity and limited access to renewable energy, according to a new GSMA report.

The Mobile Net Zero: Asia Pacific – Regional Focus on Climate Action 2026 report, launched at M360 ASEAN 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, found that demand for digital connectivity has surged across the region, with mobile data traffic up 350 per cent and mobile connections up 6 per cent between 2019 and 2024. Operational emissions rose 6 per cent over the same period.

However, the trends vary sharply between markets. In Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, operator emissions increased by around 20 per cent, driven by growing connectivity demand and network expansion in markets where access to renewables remains difficult. In Japan and Oceania, operators cut their emissions by more than 30 per cent, thanks to progress on renewable energy adoption.

Renewable Energy Uptake Still Well Below Global Average

Mobile operators across Asia Pacific purchased or generated 7 TWh of renewable electricity in 2024, equivalent to around 15 per cent of their total electricity consumption – up from just 1 per cent in 2019.

The region remains below the global average of 24 per cent and well behind Europe at 70 per cent and North America at 50 per cent.

In Japan and Australia, operators have achieved renewables shares of over 50 per cent. But in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, operators matched just 4 per cent of their electricity consumption with renewables. In Malaysia, the figure stands at 5 per cent.

Some operators in Southeast Asia have made progress. Globe Telecom in the Philippines met a third of its electricity needs in 2025 with renewables, while Telekom Malaysia and True in Thailand each reached over 20 per cent.

In some markets, mechanisms to procure off-site renewable energy remain limited or in early stages of development. In others, high costs and a lack of options suited to distributed loads such as mobile towers remain barriers.

GSMA Urges Policy Reform

Head of Climate Action at the GSMA, Steven Moore, pointed to the gap between climate commitments and the ability to act on them.

“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,” Moore commented.

“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,” he continued.

“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.”

Climate Targets Growing Across The Industry

The report found that 21 mobile operators in Asia Pacific have validated near-term science-based targets, representing 55 per cent of mobile connections and three-quarters of revenues in the region. A further 13 operators, covering 40 per cent of connections, have validated net-zero targets, with the earliest targets aiming for 2040.

The GSMA has been engaging governments in the region, including in Malaysia, to advocate for policies and electricity market structures that support renewable energy access for operators and other companies.

$7 Billion Energy Bill And Rising

The financial pressure on operators is also mounting. Mobile operators in Asia Pacific spent around $7 billion on energy in 2024, consuming 50 TWh of electricity and 350 million litres of diesel and gasoline. Those costs are expected to grow in 2026 due to the ongoing energy crisis, with many countries in Asia Pacific dependent on fossil fuel imports.

Scope 3 Emissions Dominate The Footprint

Operational emissions in Asia Pacific reached around 23 MtCO2e in 2024. But scope 3 emissions – those generated across the supply chain – were estimated at around 110 MtCO2e, making up more than 80 per cent of the mobile industry’s overall footprint in the region.

An important share of the industry’s suppliers operate in Asia Pacific, making renewable energy access across the supply chain critical to achieving industry-wide net zero.

What The GSMA Is Recommending

The GSMA is urging operators to improve network energy efficiency, retire legacy networks where possible, increase renewable energy use and strengthen engagement with suppliers and tower companies. It is calling 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 also calls for mobile networks to be recognised as critical infrastructure in climate resilience planning.

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.

Last Updated on September 10, 2026 by Nick Ross