Libya’s Mobile and Climate Landscape: A Sector Adrift Amid a Warming World
What happens when a country rich in oil, plagued by instability, and sidelined from global climate conversations begins facing the undeniable realities of a warming planet? In Libya, the answer is complex, and the telecom sector provides a revealing lens.
Libya’s telecommunications market is dominated by two state-owned giants: Libyana Mobile Phone and Almadar Aljadid. Both operate under the umbrella of the Libyan Post, Telecommunication, and Information Technology Holding Company (LPTIC). Libyana leads with over six million subscribers and has recently begun limited 5G testing, while Almadar Aljadid maintains significant 4G coverage in key urban centres.
Yet despite their technical reach and critical national role, neither company has made any public climate pledges. There are no emissions reports, energy transition targets, or net-zero commitments. This is not an oversight; it’s a mirror of national priorities.
Libya, though vulnerable to climate change, lacks a coherent national climate policy. While it ratified the Paris Agreement, it has not submitted a Nationally Determined Contribution. Political fragmentation, economic dependency on oil, and a general perception that “developing countries like Libya are victims, not culprits” have sidelined climate issues from policymaking. Subsidised fuel prices further reduce any financial incentive to decarbonise.
Still, there are signs —however faint— of a shift. The Renewable Energy Authority of Libya (REAOL) set targets for 10% renewable electricity by 2025. A newer national strategy launched in 2023 envisions 4 gigawatts of renewables by 2035. Projects like the 500 MW Sadada Solar Park and the 100 MW Kufra Solar Plant signal early momentum, and UNDP-led training programs for Libyan energy officials reflect growing international support.
However, these efforts remain fragile. Legal frameworks to enable independent power producers or corporate procurement of renewables are underdeveloped. No green power purchase agreements, no fiscal incentives, and no mandates currently exist to push mobile operators —or any major company— toward clean energy use.
This gap is increasingly costly. Libya’s power grid is unreliable, and mobile base stations depend heavily on diesel generators to stay online. This not only adds operational expenses and carbon emissions but also exposes the telecom network to fuel supply disruptions and maintenance hurdles, especially in remote or conflict-affected regions.
Climate risks are also becoming harder to ignore. The 2023 floods from Storm Daniel were a wake-up call, devastating entire communities and overwhelming infrastructure. Rising heat and prolonged drought threaten not only agriculture and water access but also the physical integrity of telecom infrastructure.
In this context, mobile operators in Libya have both an opportunity and a responsibility. By investing in on-site solar and battery storage at cell towers, Libyana and Almadar Aljadid could significantly reduce their reliance on diesel generators, enhance network resilience during frequent outages, and take the lead in sustainability at a time when public policy still lags. Beyond infrastructure upgrades, these operators should also explore voluntary carbon offsetting to account for their operational emissions, especially while national regulations remain underdeveloped. Moreover, integrating green initiatives into their Corporate Social Responsibility strategies —such as supporting community-based solar projects, reforestation efforts, or clean water access— could position them not just as service providers but as proactive environmental stewards in a country facing mounting climate risks. Even in the absence of mandates, such efforts would boost their credibility with international partners, investors, and consumers increasingly attentive to climate impact.
Libya’s mobile sector may be running on fossil fuels, but its future doesn’t have to be. In a region increasingly shaped by climate volatility, the question is not whether change is coming, but whether the country’s most critical sectors are ready to adapt.
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This article was inspired by an essay I originally wrote as part of a professional training course on Climate Change and the Mobile Industry, offered by the ITU Academy in collaboration with GSMA. The course prompted a deeper reflection on the intersection of connectivity and climate in fragile contexts like Libya, where mobile networks are both lifelines and heavy energy consumers. Sharing these insights here aims to continue the conversation on how, even in challenging environments, sustainability can begin with informed, local action.