Major Telecom Consortium Unveils Ambitious Roadmap for Net-Zero Data Centres by 2035
LONDON, November 20, 2025 – A coalition of leading global telecommunications operators today announced a landmark industry-wide roadmap to achieve net-zero emissions across their data centre operations by 2035, positioning the sector at the forefront of corporate climate action. The initiative, led by the Global Telecom Sustainability Alliance (GTSA), represents operators managing over 40% of worldwide mobile connections and aims to address the rapidly growing energy demands of AI-driven digital infrastructure.
The telecommunications sector faces unprecedented pressure as data centres currently consume an estimated 1.5% of global electricity—a figure projected to double by 2030 due to artificial intelligence expansion and cloud computing growth. The new roadmap establishes binding decarbonisation pathways aligned with Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) standards, requiring participants to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90% by 2035 through verified renewable energy procurement, advanced cooling technologies, and AI-enabled operational efficiency measures.
According to recent industry analysis, half of all validated net-zero targets within the ICT sector now aim for 2040 or earlier, with Swisscom and Tele2 already pursuing 2035 goals . The GSMA’s 2025 Mobile Net Zero Report reveals that 70 major operators, representing 46% of global mobile subscriptions, have committed to near-term SBTs, while 53 operators have established net-zero targets across their operations. This latest consortium represents the most concentrated effort specifically targeting data centre infrastructure, which accounts for the majority of operational emissions.
The technical framework centres on four critical pillars: 100% renewable energy procurement through long-term power purchase agreements; liquid cooling and heat recovery systems to capture and repurpose waste thermal energy for district heating; circular economy principles including low-carbon construction materials and server lifecycle extension programs; and real-time AI optimisation to reduce power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratios below 1.2 across all facilities by 2030.
Addressing Scope 3 emissions—which constitute approximately 75% of the industry’s total carbon footprint—the roadmap mandates supplier engagement programmes requiring 80% of data centre equipment vendors to adopt validated science-based targets by 2028. Participants will implement sustainability-linked financing mechanisms, following models established by Deutsche Telekom and TDC Net, where EUR 1.5 billion in green bonds directly tie capital costs to climate performance metrics.
“Data centres are the digital backbone of our economy, but they cannot become the Achilles’ heel of climate progress,” said Elena Rodriguez, Chief Sustainability Officer of the GTSA and spokesperson for the initiative. “This roadmap demonstrates that aggressive decarbonisation is not just environmentally imperative but economically advantageous. Our modelling shows that energy efficiency improvements and renewable procurement will deliver 15-20% operational cost savings while future-proofing our infrastructure against regulatory and market volatility. The technology exists; what we need now is industry-wide execution at unprecedented speed.”
Market research indicates the transition will require approximately €120 billion in collective investment through 2035, primarily directed toward renewable energy infrastructure and facility retrofits. However, analysis from KPMG suggests these investments could generate up to €200 billion in value through energy savings, avoided carbon costs, and enhanced asset valuations.
The consortium members have committed to transparent quarterly reporting through the GSMA’s Mobile Net Zero platform and third-party verification of all emissions data. This builds on the ITU’s Greening Digital Companies 2025 assessment framework, which awarded top scores to Swisscom, Telefonica, and Deutsche Telekom for disclosure quality and performance metrics.
Implementation will begin January 2026, with pilot projects launching in six major data centre hubs: Frankfurt, Singapore, Virginia, Dublin, Tokyo, and São Paulo. Each location will test region-specific solutions including floating offshore wind integration, hydrogen fuel cells for backup power, and AI-driven demand response systems that enable facilities to function as grid-stabilising virtual power plants.
The roadmap’s architects consulted extensively with the Net Zero Technology Centre, whose 2025-2035 innovation priorities highlight data centres as cross-cutting enablers for industrial decarbonisation, noting that digital infrastructure optimisation could facilitate up to 42 MTCO2e emissions abatement across the broader economy by 2030.
About Global Telecom Sustainability Alliance
The Global Telecom Sustainability Alliance (GTSA) is an industry consortium comprising 23 leading telecommunications operators across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. Established in 2024, GTSA coordinates climate action initiatives across the ICT sector, representing over 3.2 billion mobile subscribers and 1,450 operational data centres worldwide. The alliance works in partnership with the GSMA, ITU, and Science Based Targets initiative to accelerate net-zero transitions through collaborative innovation, standardised reporting frameworks, and collective procurement strategies.
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