One of the most important lessons society has learned from being stranded at home and unable to travel during a pandemic, is that once carbon emissions fall, the benefits materialize remarkably quickly. What have telecommunications providers learned during this time? That due to the staggering demand for digital communications at this time, the global telecom infrastructure has been forced to consume more energy than ever before, increasing the carbon footprint. In addition, as consumers become more conscious of their impact on the global environment, the demand for more sustainable goods and services is stronger than ever. With this in mind, telecommunications companies are rolling up their sleeves and getting to work in order to reduce their environmental impact. But is achieving sustainability in telecoms a realistic mission? Although the telecommunications industry is not the first to come to mind when discussing emissions or greater sustainability, this sector does account…
Axiata Group, a Malaysian multinational telecommunications group with widespread operations in Asia, has signed a commitment to the Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTi), formalizing their intention to set a long-term science-based target of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Axiata claimed in a statement that it is the first Malaysian telecommunications provider to implement the SBTi, joining more than 50 mobile carriers worldwide in rapidly addressing climate action. The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) are driving this project, and the SBTi is the primary partner of the Business Ambition initiative for the 1.5°C campaign. The Science Based Targets project, in collaboration with the UN Global Compact and the We Mean Business Coalition, is leading the Business Ambition for 1.5°C. This campaign is an urgent call to action for businesses to establish…