Reducing our carbon footprint: Telstra's initiatives
Reducing our carbon footprint
To us, addressing climate change means taking ambitious steps to decarbonise our business.
What’s a carbon footprint?
Like most forms of economic activity, providing telecommunications services results in greenhouse gas emissions.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (PDF, 399KB) (sometimes referred to as carbon emissions) are made up of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and other gases, which trap heat close to the surface of the Earth, and contribute to global warming (climate change).
For Telstra, a significant percentage of our emissions arise from the energy we use to power our networks because Australia’s energy grid supply is still predominantly driven by fossil fuels.
Another big source of emissions comes from building those networks, including emissions associated with the production of steel, concrete and other materials to build telecommunications equipment.
It’s no surprise that these emissions add up, given that Telstra’s mobile network alone covers more than 2.5 million square kilometres.
What are we doing to reduce our carbon footprint?
We have big climate change ambitions in 2020, all aimed at taking bold climate actions
- Net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, aligned with the Paris agreement.
- Reduce our absolute scope 1 +2 emissions by at least 70% by 2030 (from an FY19 baseline).
- Reduce our absolute scope 3 emissions by at least 50% by 2030 (from an FY19 baseline).
- Enable renewable energy generation equivalent to 100% of our consumption by 2025.
As Australia’s largest telco we have an important role to play in reducing our emissions and working with our suppliers and customers to accelerate action on climate change.
To help decarbonise the broader economy, we’re also using technology to unlock smarter and more efficient ways of working and living. Read more in our Enabling Positive Climate Action Report (PFD, 11.6MB).
Our most recent Sustainability Report and Data Pack include how we’re tracking against our climate action targets.
We are building a connected future so everyone can thrive
We know there’s more work to do - we’re continuing to look for new ways to have an impact, by:
- raising awareness of climate-related risks among our people and suppliers, and helping them reduce their emissions
- encouraging the uptake of digital technologies and services that drive low-carbon economic growth
Frequently asked question
All telecommunications need energy to power radio towers, servers etc. No matter where you buy your telecommunications from, it is powered by the same energy grid.
The energy grid is supplied by power stations, some of which produce carbon emissions. Emissions associated with the supply of electricity is the dominant source of emissions for our business.
Because we can't control which energy source physically supplied to our business, we have committed to enabling renewable energy generation in Australia and in our other business locations, equivalent to 100% of the energy we consume by 2025.
We have already underpinned major renewable energy generation projects in Australia (including Power Purchase Agreements at Murra Warra, Emerald and Crookwell III). These produce enough energy to power over 100,000 homes.