Charging mobile devices will generate more than 13 megatonnes CO2e (CO2 equivalent) of greenhouse gases per annum globally by 2019 against 6.4 megatonnes this year, said Juniper Research.
Nearly 50 percent of these 2019 emissions – equivalent to annual emissions from 1.1 million cars – will come from coal-fired Asian electricity grids powering growing smartphone use.
Companies can have a more direct impact on user emissions by making energy efficient components and apps standard for their devices. This will also have the beneficial effect of prolonging battery life, which has long been a consumer pain point in device use.
Phone design has a large impact on recyclability, as certain design features make recycling uneconomical. Vendors must plan for end of device life to ensure they do not exacerbate the growing e-waste problem.
Supply chain emissions still remain a huge problem for the industry. If suppliers can be incentivised to change now, the industry could save a potential 57.8 megatonnes in GHG emissions by 2019.
