Airtel to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 50% over next decade

Today, Indian telecoms giant Bharti Airtel has announced that it has accelerated its plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, aiming to reduce its operational emissions by 50% of their currently level by the 2030–31 fiscal year.

 

In addition, Airtel has also committed to reducing its absolute Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., emissions across its wider supply chain and customers) by 42% during the same period.

 

These reductions will be primarily achieved through an increased focus on adopting green energy sources, building and upgrading infrastructure that is more energy efficient, and applying more sustainable business practices at the company’s workplaces.

 

This news comes alongside the announcement that Airtel has joined Science Based Targets initiative’s (SBTi) Business Ambition for 1.5 degrees C campaign, aiming to limit the global temperature increase as a result of climate change. 

 

“Airtel has joined the Science-Based Targets initiative’s (SBTi) ‘Business Ambition for 1.5°C’ campaign and adopted targets to significantly reduce its carbon footprint and emissions from its network operations,” said Airtel in a statement.

 

“Businesses have a fundamental responsibility to contribute to this effort and Airtel has adopted an ambitious target in this direction and will report its progress transparently,” added Vidyut Gulati, Director-Legal at Bharti Airtel.

 

Airtel has also joined the United Nations (UN) Global Compact corporate sustainability initiative, thereby aligning its own environmental, societal, and governance initiatives with those of the UN. The company claims to be the first Indian telco to have 

 

The operator is already committed to the Paris Climate Accord. 

 

Airtel’s efforts to transform their business to a more environmentally friendly model has been taking place for some time. According to Airtel, emissions related to its network have been reduced by 97% since April 2016, largely as a result of its move towards cleaner energy sources.

 

More recently, in April this year, Airtel commissioned a 14 MWp captive solar power plant to help meet the energy requirements of its core and edge data centres in the Uttar Pradesh region.

 

Of course, it is not only Airtel that are accelerating their carbon neutrality goals. Against the backdrop of ever more severe climate disruption, operators around the world are beginning to accelerate their carbon neutral strategies. Just yesterday, BT announced that it would now aim for its own operations to have net zero carbon emissions by 2030, fifteen years ahead of its previous goal of 2045. The company will also aim to achieve carbon neutrality across its entire supply chain by 2040.