iPods and mobile phone

iPods and mobile phones the new climate enemy

by correspondents on May 17, 2009

The amount of energy used up by luxury gadgets could triple in the coming decades, an international agency has warned.

Demand for power-thirsty gadgets like mobile phones, iPods and big-screen TVs is undoing efficiency gains elsewhere, the International Energy Agency said today.

The agency urged developed governments to keep pace with the invention of new consumer devices when crafting efficiency standards and implored people to make thriftier choices.

It warned that otherwise energy used by personal and household electronic devices could triple by 2030.

Energy consumption is associated with carbon emissions because most electricity is generated from burning high-carbon fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas.

But consumers don't have to curb their appetite for ever more clever and fashionable gadgets – provided they choose the most efficient versions available.

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