Sustainability in telecommunications spans the value chain, from energy-efficient network operation and data-center design to device security and lifecycle replacement decisions. Explore how metrics like energy per bit help track progress, and review global signals on net-zero commitments, efficiency initiatives, and renewables procurement. We also examine where the biggest gaps remain in mobile energy use, cooling, and policy standards as data traffic grows with 5G.
Key Takeaways
- 45% reduction in operational energy intensity for data centers is targeted by some operators adopting best-practice guidelines (e.g., ASHRAE/IEA aligned targets) by 2030
- 161 countries and 21% of global GDP reported net-zero targets as of 2024
- 12% of mobile network energy consumption reduction potential remains untapped according to the ITU-T L.1470 energy efficiency recommendations assessment
- 54% of network infrastructure decision-makers reported having a sustainability strategy for their telecom networks
- 65% of telecommunications operators said they have begun implementing energy-efficiency initiatives
- The ETSI standard EN 303 645 requires reasonable security—impacting sustainability via reduced lifecycle device replacements
- 17% annual growth is forecast for global mobile data traffic between 2022 and 2028
- 5G will account for 60% of global mobile subscriptions by 2026
- Liquid cooling deployments were forecast to grow to 25% of enterprise data center deployments by 2028
- Telecommunications is listed among the sectors with the highest share of climate-aligned lending opportunities in 2024 by the OECD
- 30% of IT and telecom companies reported using renewable electricity procurement instruments such as PPAs in 2023
- 1.2 GW of renewable power capacity was added by telecom and data center operators globally in 2023 (cumulative renewable procurement)
- 18.4% of global electricity was generated from renewable sources in 2022
- 2.0 million data centers worldwide are estimated, reflecting the scale of embodied and operational impacts that sustainability programs target
- 0.9% of global electricity demand was from data centers in 2022 (International Energy Agency estimate)
Telecoms are cutting energy use, but faster action on efficiency, renewables, and longer equipment lifecycles is crucial.
Related reading
01 · Category
Strategy & Governance7 stats
01
54% of network infrastructure decision-makers reported having a sustainability strategy for their telecom networkshttps://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-09-05-gartner-survey-shows-most-telecommunications-service-providers-need-to-do-more-to-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions
02
65% of telecommunications operators said they have begun implementing energy-efficiency initiativeshttps://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2022-09-12-gartner-survey-shows-telecom-operators-continue-to-invest-in-energy-efficiency-while-accelerating-network-modernization
03
The ETSI standard EN 303 645 requires reasonable security—impacting sustainability via reduced lifecycle device replacementshttps://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/303600_303699/303645/02.01.01_60/en_303645v020101p.pdf
04
The EU Batteries Regulation (including sustainability and lifecycle requirements) applies to portable batteries and impacts device sustainment for telecom equipmenthttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj
05
The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires covered companies to report sustainability information, including climate metricshttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2022/2464/oj
06
The EU taxonomy for sustainable activities classifies which activities can be considered environmentally sustainable, including enabling activities for ICThttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2020/852/oj
07
ITU-T L.1470 provides a methodology for energy efficiency in telecommunication equipment, including LCA considerations for sustainability planninghttps://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-L.1470-202201-I/en
Interpretation
Strategy & Governance Interpretation
With 54% of network infrastructure decision-makers already reporting a sustainability strategy and 65% of telecom operators implementing energy-efficiency initiatives, the Strategy and Governance push is clearly translating into measurable operational action, reinforced by EU reporting and sustainability rules like the CSRD.
02 · Category
Emissions & Energy4 stats
01
45% reduction in operational energy intensity for data centers is targeted by some operators adopting best-practice guidelines (e.g., ASHRAE/IEA aligned targets) by 2030https://www.iea.org/reports/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks
02
161 countries and 21% of global GDP reported net-zero targets as of 2024https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/net-zero-coalition
03
12% of mobile network energy consumption reduction potential remains untapped according to the ITU-T L.1470 energy efficiency recommendations assessmenthttps://www.itu.int/itu-t/recommendations/rec.aspx?rec=1470
04
ITU-T L.1300 defines energy efficiency metrics including energy per bit (J/bit) and energy efficiency in networkshttps://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-L.1300-201506-I/en
Interpretation
Emissions & Energy Interpretation
In the Emissions and Energy space, the sector’s momentum is clear as some operators aim for a 45% cut in data center operational energy intensity, yet about 12% of mobile network energy reduction potential is still untapped under ITU-T guidance.
03 · Category
Market Size4 stats
01
18.4% of global electricity was generated from renewable sources in 2022https://ember-climate.org/app/uploads/2023/01/Ember-Global-Electricity-Review-2023.pdf
02
2.0 million data centers worldwide are estimated, reflecting the scale of embodied and operational impacts that sustainability programs targethttps://www.iea.org/reports/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks-2019
03
0.9% of global electricity demand was from data centers in 2022 (International Energy Agency estimate)https://www.iea.org/reports/data-centres-and-data-centre-demand
04
Telecommunications contributed about 2.6% of total global greenhouse-gas emissions in 2019 (including networks, devices, and data centers where attributable, depending on methodology)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876610219302481
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From a market size perspective, the telecommunications sector sits within a rapidly energy-constrained landscape, where data centers alone account for 0.9% of global electricity demand in 2022, alongside a growing scale marked by 2.0 million facilities worldwide, while the sector’s footprint remains substantial at about 2.6% of total global greenhouse-gas emissions in 2019.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
17% annual growth is forecast for global mobile data traffic between 2022 and 2028https://www.ericsson.com/en/reports-and-papers/mobility-report/internet-of-things
02
5G will account for 60% of global mobile subscriptions by 2026https://www.ericsson.com/en/reports-and-papers/mobility-report
03
Liquid cooling deployments were forecast to grow to 25% of enterprise data center deployments by 2028https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/liquid-cooling-data-center-market-112311410.html
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
The industry trend is accelerating fast as global mobile data traffic is forecast to grow 17% annually from 2022 to 2028 and 5G is projected to reach 60% of global mobile subscriptions by 2026, signaling rising network demand that will likely push telecom sustainability efforts toward more efficient infrastructure.
05 · Category
Investment & Costs3 stats
01
Telecommunications is listed among the sectors with the highest share of climate-aligned lending opportunities in 2024 by the OECDhttps://www.oecd.org/finance/private-finance-in-ict-sustainability.pdf
02
30% of IT and telecom companies reported using renewable electricity procurement instruments such as PPAs in 2023https://guidehouse.com/insights/renewable-energy-procurement-telecommunications-2023
03
1.2 GW of renewable power capacity was added by telecom and data center operators globally in 2023 (cumulative renewable procurement)https://www.bnef.com/technology/renewable-energy-procurement-data-centers-telecom-2024
Interpretation
Investment & Costs Interpretation
From an Investment and Costs perspective, telecom is seeing growing capital alignment with climate goals, with 30% of IT and telecom firms using renewable procurement via instruments like PPAs in 2023 and telecom and data center operators adding 1.2 GW of renewable capacity globally in 2023.
06 · Category
Overview9 stats
01
1.6% of electricity in the U.S. is used by data centers (2023 estimate), a key performance driver for telecom cloud/network sustainabilityhttps://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61820
02
Data centers in the U.S. consumed about 17 billion kWh in 2022 (estimate), underpinning telecom sustainability energy metricshttps://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=57419
03
30% of data center operators reported having a formal energy efficiency target (2022 global survey)https://www.uptimeinstitute.com/insights/uptime-institute-2022-data-center-industry-survey-energy-efficiency-targets
04
30% of total cost of ownership (TCO) for telecom equipment is attributed to energy/operational costs over the equipment lifecycle in a cost model published by a telecom infrastructure analyst (2021 model)https://www.strategyanalytics.com/access-services/research/research-notes/green-network-cost-model-2021
05
$3.3 billion global spending on data center liquid cooling (2023), indicating investment levels that affect telecom sustainability build-outshttps://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/liquid-cooling-market-105565
06
1.5x higher total cost for premature replacement of ICT equipment versus refurbishing/remanufacturing in a lifecycle cost analysis (2020 study)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212827120300521
07
33% of organizations report using carbon accounting software/tools for scope 1–3 emissions in 2023 (survey)https://www.forrester.com/report/carbon-accounting-tools-and-systems-2023/
08
41% of organizations report adopting circular-economy practices such as repair, refurbishment, or remanufacturing for ICT hardware (2022 study)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021004207
09
55% of respondents in a telecom sustainability survey indicated they are tracking energy consumption at the level of sites/cells to manage efficiencyhttps://www.tmforum.org/research-publications/sustainability-in-telecom-energy-consumption-tracking-survey
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Industry overview figures show telecom sustainability is tightly linked to energy use, with US data centers using about 1.6% of the nation’s electricity and consuming roughly 17 billion kWh in 2022, while only 30% of operators report formal energy efficiency targets and energy and operational costs make up around 30% of telecom equipment TCO over its lifecycle.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Sustainability In The Telecommunications Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-telecommunications-industry-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Sustainability In The Telecommunications Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-telecommunications-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Sustainability In The Telecommunications Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-telecommunications-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
30 datasets cited across this report
+11 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)