Juniper Research: Green handset shipments could reach 500 million units globally by 2014

Latest Juniper Research’s report titled “Green Mobile Handsets & Applications: Strategies, Scenarios & Forecasts 2009-2014″ says that as consumer demand for environmentally sustainable mobile devices grow, green handset shipments could reach 485 million units within next 5 years. More precisely, the research company argues that numbers will grow from a quarter of million shipments in 2009 to over 105 million by 2014. The average mobile user is responsible for around 25kg of CO2 emissions per year. Last year all mobile phone users combined were responsible for 93Mt (Megatonnes) of CO2 emissions, which is a huge figure. In that sense, 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.

Further findings from the report include:

• 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.

More information about the report is available from Juniper’s website.