Juniper Research predicts consumer demand for
environmentally sustainable mobile devices will be the primary driver
behind the growth of green handsets. Green handsets global shipments
could grow to 485 million units by 2014.
With a number of challenges facing vendors and operators,
such as the Kyoto Protocol, a concerted effort is required by companies
across the industry to reduce these average emissions by a far greater
extent over the next five years.
The scenario-based
forecasts within Juniper Research's new report - 'Green Mobile Handsets
& Applications: Strategies, Scenarios & Forecasts 2009-2014' -
also suggest that even with an incremental attitude shift by consumers,
numbers will still grow from a quarter of million shipments in 2009 to
over 105 million by 2014.
Dr. Windsor Holden, Principal
Analyst at Juniper Research and lead author for the report, commented;
"With manufacturers only now beginning to introduce green handsets,
shipment volumes are relatively low in all cases. Moving forward, we
should not expect to see production lines of completely 'green' phones,
but a gradual move to introducing green elements throughout devices."
The
average mobile user is responsible for around 25kg of CO2 emissions per
year, a collective total of 93Mt (Megatonnes) of CO2 globally at the
end of 2008.
Further findings from the Juniper Research Green Handsets report includes:
•
Network operators and handset vendors should increase their promotion
of handset take-back initiatives, and increase their take-back targets
•
Eco-applications offer the potential for the mobile industry to reduce
CO2 emissions above and beyond its own direct and indirect emissions by
exerting a positive influence on consumer behaviour
The report,
launched globally today, contains comprehensive six year forecasting
for all the key market parameters including maintaining stable CO2
footprints, electricity costs, no-load CO2 emissions and
recycled/refurbished handsets.
Green Handsets whitepaper and
further details of the study, 'Green Mobile Handsets &
Applications: Strategies, Scenarios & Forecasts 2009-2014' can be
freely downloaded from the Juniper website.