Back in February 2016, shortly after the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals officially were adopted, the worldwide trade association representing most of the worlds leading mobile companies launched an industry-wide push to encourage corporate action supporting them.
Now, responding to pressure from investors all around the globe, the group, GSMA, is kicking off a coordinated effort aimed at improving and standardizing how they disclose climate risks.
This week, more than 50 of the largest wireless network carriers representing two-thirds of mobile connections globally including AT&T, BT Group, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, NTT, Orange Group, SoftBank, Vodafone, Verizon and a whos who list from around the world collectively agreed to report information about climate impacts, energy transition plans, greenhouse gas emissions and other ESG concerns using the CDP global disclosure system.
What sorts of concerns should investors have? A vivid illustration comes from California. Earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission requested information about the contingency plans of cellular service providers including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon in cases where the state's utilities are directed to switch off power during periods of high wildfire risk. According to coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle, towers can operate for four to 72 hours on existing backup systems. Some providers, via the organization Green Touch Consortium, worked on a five-year project toward the goal earlier this decade. As carriers build out next-generation 5G wireless networks, making sure they run as efficiently as possible and that the sources are increasingly cleaner are central concerns.
Being more transparent is just the first step. GSMA is also coordinating the development of what it calls an industry-wide, climate action roadmap," aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), for achieving net-zero emission GHG emissions by 2050, the goal set out by the Paris Agreement. Many individual companies plan to use this initiative as the foundation of dialogues and meetings next week during the climate meetings in New York, including the United Nations General Assembly, as well as at the Mobile World Congress Americas conference in Los Angeles in October.
By choosing one platform for disclosure, the mobile operators are seeking to make it simpler for investors to compare the plans of companies across the wireless communications sector, something they increasingly have been requesting, said Mats Granyrd, director general of GSMA, during a conversion with GreenBiz.
"A lot of investors are keen to understand individually how companies are doing but want to see it done in a consistent way," he said.
Granyrd said many operators that agreed to join the initiative some have opted out for now, citing resource issues or strategic timing or other concerns will be reporting for the first time as part of this collaborative push.
A lot of investors are keen to understand individually how companies are doing but want to see it done in a consistent way.
The bulk of emissions related to a mobile operators own operations lie in Scope 1 (for things such as fleets, buildings and back-up generators) and in Scope 2 (mainly related to the power to run networks and data centers). But GSMA estimates that the large majority of operators total GHG emissions are Scope 3 in nature, embedded across suppliers and other members of the value chain.
Theres much that carriers can do to influence climate action there, the organization believes. That includes connecting corporate buildings and facilities for energy management, supporting vehicle telematics for reducing fuel consumption, diverting emissions that would have been expended on travel and commuting, enabling precision agriculture, empowering rural economies and so on. Those new solutions also will drive additional mobile traffic across wireless networks, so many companies across the industry are focusing on how to ensure that each new generation of connectivity is more energy-efficient than the last.
"The mobile industry will form the backbone of the future economy and therefore has a unique opportunity to drive change across multiple sectors and in collaboration with our suppliers, investors and customers," Granyrd said in the press release for the initiative.
To be clear, not every company in the GSMAs membership is part of this initiative, at least for now. The group includes more than 750 operators, as well as 350 other companies that are part of the industry such as software developers, handset and device manufacturers, internet companies and network equipment providers.
But the operators that have signed up represent about 5.2 billion mobile connections, out of the 7.8 billion reported worldwide at the end of second quarter. (That doesnt include internet of things links.) GSMA expects at least 60 operators to be involved by February, when the organization expects to unfurl a decarbonization pathway framework with the SBTi; to date, a sector-related framework of this sort hasn't been available for companies to consult.
The mobile industry will form the backbone of the future economy and therefore has a unique opportunity to drive change across multiple sectors.
The energy footprint of mobile networks is estimated at about 130 terrawatt-hours annually, with a footprint of about 110 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. Thats about 0.2 percent of global GHG emissions. If you add in the impact of mobile phones, the impact is about 200 MtCO2e, according to GSMA, or about 0.4 percent of global GHG emissions.
The forthcoming decarbonization pathway will allow companies to set their own targets, as well as a timeline for delivery; renewable energy isnt as readily available in some remote or off-grid locations as others, for example. Right now, those transmission sites may run on diesel generators and until broader transmission investments are made, the industry needs to find workaround solutions.
The Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), which represents information technology and digital infrastructure companies, and International Telecommunications (ITU) are collaborating on the development of the framework. "Were very excited with the pickup and interest of the mobile operators," Granyrd said. "Their reaction has been great."
GSMA considers the disclosure pledge and commitment to science-based goals to be an extension of the industrys intense focus on committing to the SDGs, Granyrd said. The group scores progress on all 17 goals based on how well the industry is delivering on its potential impact.
According to the report, based on GSMA analysis, so far the mobile sector is making the biggest contribution toward SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). For example, as of 2017, almost 600 million have access to mobile internet services, most in low-income and middle-income countries, and more than 250 million globally have access to mobile financial services. As of that timeframe, 5 million people had used services offered as part of the mNutrition Initiative, which supports farmers looking to improve their productivity and income. But even then, that work only gets a score of 51 out of a possible 100 for achieving its potential. Two other areas where the industry gives itself a relatively good grade: SDG 4 (Education) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
The areas in which the sector believes it made the most progress between 2017 and 2018 were on SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). During 2017, for example, mobile operators involved with the Humanitarian Connectivity Charter supported more than 30 million people recovering from natural disasters and other crises. (You can find the latest SDG impact report here; the 2019 edition is due in coming weeks.)
"We have discrete targets around almost all of the targets," Granyrd said.
Go here to read the rest:
Leading mobile operators pledge collective, consistent disclosure of climate impacts - GreenBiz
- QazInnovations: Kazakhstan seeks to bring volume of innovative ... - inform.kz/en - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- World Earth Day: What is green finance, and why do we need it so much? - The Economic Times - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Netarts Bay cleanup scheduled for Earth Day with SOLVE and ... - Tillamook Headlight-Herald - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Shaping humanitarian and ethical governance in Pakistan - The Express Tribune - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen on the U.S. ... - Treasury - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Investing in nature: Building local economies through conservation - McKinsey - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Lalith's economic vision for Lanka: Export or perish - The Sunday Times Sri Lanka - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy to help A.P. govt. implement energy-efficiency projects - The Hindu - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and ... - The White House - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- A Restraint Approach to U.S.China Relations: Reversing the Slide ... - Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Carrollton Mayor and City Council Election Preview 2023: Meet your ... - Star Local Media - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Governor Kelly Signs Bipartisan Bill to Expand Teacher Workforce in ... - Kansas Governor - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Indigenous Peoples Must Have Full Representation, Participation in ... - United Nations - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- The EPA Region 6 Announces a Total of $23 Million to ... - U.S. EPA.gov - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Kansas governor strikes funding for anti-abortion pregnancy centers ... - Kansas Reflector - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Can You Fight for Climate Justice Without Being Antiwar? - Common Dreams - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Sustainable Tourism: A World leading to the road of Environment consciousness - Nomad Lawyer - NomadLawyer - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Atlanta's Cop City and the Struggle for Climate Justice - Resilience - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Jaishankars visit to Uganda, Mozambique went almost unnoticed but it indicated Indias bold gambit in Africa - Firstpost - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Natural resource - Wikipedia - October 30th, 2022 [October 30th, 2022]
- Non-renewable resource - Wikipedia - October 30th, 2022 [October 30th, 2022]
- Minister Wilkinson Launches Phase 2 of the Regional Energy and Resource Tables - Canada NewsWire - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Executive Secretary participates in Russian Energy Week to advocate for decarbonization in the UNECE region ahead of COP27 - UNECE - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Renault Group: The Future Is NEUTRAL: The circular economy is stepping into a new era! - Yahoo Finance - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Economy Expected to Contract Further in 2023, as the Fed Appears Resolved to Tame Inflation - PR Newswire - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Brazils Runoff Election Will Have Enormous Effects on the Global Climate Crisis - Truthout - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Health disparities and health inequalities: applying All Our Health - GOV.UK - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Opinion: Biopolitics is the invisible hand shaping mental health - The Connecticut Mirror - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Avaaz urges Georgieva and Trudeau to lasso-in commitments from IMF to attend December's vital UN Biodiversity Talks in Montreal - GlobeNewswire - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Kochi as a global city? Why not, asks the man behind Ahmedabads mega city story | Manorama English - Onmanorama - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Hennessy and Thurgood Marshall College Fund Announce partnership with Group Black and The Bishop Gallery to make "America's Most Influential... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Pollution Prevention Week highlights ways to reduce, reuse and recycle waste - Michigan (.gov) - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- England headed for incineration overcapacity, warns UKWIN - Resource Magazine - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- 3 years of the Principles for Responsible Banking: our vision for change United Nations Environment Finance Initiative - UNEP Finance Initiative - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Isn't It Time To Challenge The Growth Paradigm? OpEd - Eurasia Review - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Coalition of Nearly 50 Organizations Launches 'Tear the Paper Ceiling' Campaign to Raise Awareness Around the 70+ Million Workers in the U.S. Skilled... - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Remote work can actually be more productive: More Hub readers respond to the work-from-home phenomenon - The Hub - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Mendocino Public Health on record-setting Sept. heat: We can't just treat this as a once-in-15-years occurrence - The Mendocino Voice - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Carbon Ridge Secures $6 Million Investment from Leading Climate Investors and Maritime Industry Leaders - Business Wire - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Regenerative Travel Is the Next Phase of Responsible Tourism - Outside Online - Outside - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- NNPC: Between rebranding and reforms, By Tijah Bolton-Akpan - Premium Times - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Embodying the spirit of Malaysia - The Edge Markets MY - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Nonprofit executive takes on state-appointed economic development role - MiBiz: West Michigan Business News - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Noble Mineral Exploration Signs Exploration Agreement with the Constance Lake First Nation - Junior Mining Network - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Progressively Deepening Bilateral Partnership - The Geopolitics - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Oil money is flooding into Guyana. Who will benefit? - Reuters - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Remote-work revolution exposes need for better data, tracking tools to evaluate workforce, pay and economy - The Spokesman Review - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- We need rare earth elements for a greener future, but there's a catch - CBC.ca - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- BRNHA the steward of the living traditions of WNC: Opinion - Citizen Times - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- The Fiji Times Back in history: Future of forestry sector - Fiji Times - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Hochul announces grand opening of Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center - Troy Record - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Predicting the Future of Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Columbia University - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- JD.com Ranks 46th on 2022 Fortune Global 500 - Yahoo Finance - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Minister Wilkinson Releases New Report Showing the Impacts of Climate Change and Necessity of Climate Adaptation in Ontario - Canada NewsWire - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Do Armenians have a future as an independent nation? Part 4 - Armenian Weekly - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Getting the diagnostics right 2 - BusinessWorld Online - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- GrammaTech and T.E.N. Announce Call for Nominations for Product Security Executive of the Year Awards - Business Wire - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Energy Vault and Jupiter Power Announce Agreement for Battery Energy Storage Projects in Texas and California Totaling 220 MWh - Business Wire - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- The North East LEP: Thinking bigger and planning together for the future - Bdaily - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- It's not enough to buy American. You also need to sell American all around the world. - The Ripon Society - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Bid to designate 50k acres in UP as wilderness highlights tension over public lands - MLive.com - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- A 'Living Wall' At Texas A&M Could Be The Key To Smarter Cities - Texas A&M University Today - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Architects and designers must embrace the circular economy - Project Scotland - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Strategic Minerals increases Tin and Tantalum production in June and Q2 2022 at its Penouta Mine - Yahoo Finance - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Issues of the Environment: Improving recycling rates and quality of recycling materials in Washtenaw County - WEMU - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Joe Oliver: The Liberal Cabinet Needs an Intervention - The Epoch Times - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- SDG&E and Cajon Valley Union School District Flip the Switch on Region's First Vehicle-to-Grid Project Featuring Local Electric School Buses Capable... - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Reimagining business: The greatest debt of all time - Newsroom - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Moody's affirms A1 rating of Newfoundland and Labrador, changes outlook to stable - Moody's - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- New Mexico's oil and gas revenues are breaking records and complicating budgets - New Mexico Political Report - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- FACT SHEET: White House Announces over $40 Billion in American Rescue Plan Investments in Our Workforce With More Coming - The White House - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- The Class of 2022 Is Ready to Workon Their Terms - SHRM - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Faraday Copper Announces Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Copper Creek Project in Arizona; Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources Exceed... - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Inside the Triangle's latest job opening data: What boards are showing and who's hiring - WRAL TechWire - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Reserve Bank keeps blinkers on inflation, raising OCR to 2.5% - Stuff - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Abe's drive to bring back Japan | The Interpreter - The Interpreter - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- UCF Hospitality Researchers Expertise Is Tapped for Global Sustainable Tourism Report - UCF - June 30th, 2022 [June 30th, 2022]
- Feminist Economics and the Fight for Human Rights - OHCHR - June 30th, 2022 [June 30th, 2022]
- Biden Administration announces historic coastal and climate resilience funding - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - June 30th, 2022 [June 30th, 2022]
- Why green ammonia will be the workhorse of EU's future hydrogen economy - EURACTIV - June 30th, 2022 [June 30th, 2022]