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Data year: 2023· Sources: CDP, IEA, EPA
1.4%
of global emissions
0.78
Gt CO2e / year
15
tCO2e / $M revenue
35%
Scope 3 share
Average emissions intensity for telecommunications companies (2023 data)
| Company Size | tCO2e / employee | tCO2e / $M revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Small/regional operator | 10 | 20 |
| National operator | 15 | 15 |
| Global telecom group | 22 | 12 |
Small/regional operator
10
tCO2e / employee
20
tCO2e / $M rev
National operator
15
tCO2e / employee
15
tCO2e / $M rev
Global telecom group
22
tCO2e / employee
12
tCO2e / $M rev
Key decarbonization actions for the telecommunications sector
Renewable electricity for network and data centers
50-80% reduction in Scope 2
Energy-efficient network equipment (5G is more efficient per bit)
15-30% reduction in network energy
AI-powered network optimization and sleep modes
10-20% reduction in base station energy
Extended lifecycle for customer equipment
10-15% reduction in Scope 3
Shared tower infrastructure to reduce duplicate networks
20-30% infrastructure energy reduction
5G network rollout is increasing energy consumption faster than efficiency gains in many markets, creating a rebound effect.
The telecoms sector produces about 1.4% of global emissions (0.78 Gt CO2e), with network infrastructure and data centers as the primary sources.
Per bit of data, yes — 5G is up to 90% more energy efficient. But 5G networks require more base stations and are driving higher total data consumption, which can increase overall energy use.
A typical 4G macro cell tower consumes 2,000-4,000 kWh per month. A 5G tower can consume 2-3 times more due to additional hardware, though this is improving with newer equipment.
Streaming 1 hour of HD video produces about 36g CO2e through the network and data center infrastructure. This has dropped 80% in a decade due to efficiency improvements.
Data represents global averages for 2023. Actual emissions vary by company, region, and methodology.