How Smartphones Are Heating Up The Planet

How smartphones are heating up the planet

When considering the sources of human-induced climate change, many people primarily think of heavy industries such as petroleum extraction, mining, and transportation. Rarely do they associate the rapid proliferation of digital technologies, particularly smartphones, with environmental impacts. Recent research published in the Journal of Cleaner Production challenges the commonly held view that ICT—information and communication technologies—are predominantly environmentally beneficial, suggesting instead that their contribution to global carbon emissions is substantial and growing.

This study provides a comprehensive inventory of ICT's footprint—including personal devices like PCs, laptops, monitors, smartphones, and tablets—and infrastructure such as data centers and communication networks. It reveals that, contrary to expectations, the contribution of ICT to global carbon emissions is projected to rise from about 1% in 2007 to 3.5% by 2020, and further escalate to 14% by 2040, surpassing half of the worldwide transportation sector’s contribution. This growth is primarily driven by the increasing number of devices and expanded infrastructure rather than any significant reduction in physical activity or energy use due to virtualization.

A particularly startling insight from the study is the disproportionate impact of smartphones. The emissions associated with smartphones are anticipated to grow from 4% of the overall ICT footprint in 2010 to 11% in 2020, overshadowing other electronic devices like PCs and laptops. In absolute terms, emissions from smartphone use are expected to surge from 17 to 125 megatons of CO₂ equivalent annually—an increase of approximately 730%. Notably, the majority of this footprint—ranging from 85% to 95%—stems from the manufacturing process rather than device usage itself. This encompasses the energy-intensive extraction of raw materials such as gold and rare-earth elements, mainly sourced from China, and the energy consumed during device assembly.

The life cycle analysis of smartphones underscores that their environmental impact is predominantly embedded in production. Mineral extraction, manufacturing waste, and the energy-intensive supply chain contribute significantly to the carbon footprint. For example, mining activities for copper and rare-earth elements generate vast amounts of waste, with large open-pit mines like Chuquicamata in Chile producing hundreds of thousands of metric tons of waste daily. Moreover, the industry’s dependency on materials with limited availability intensifies extraction activities and environmental degradation.

Beyond manufacturing, the infrastructure associated with smartphones—namely data centers and communication networks—also contributes heavily to emissions. The study estimates that the combined footprint of these facilities grew from 215 megatons of CO₂ equivalence in 2007 to an estimated 764 megatons by 2020. Data centers, which power applications, storage, and internet services, account for approximately two-thirds of this figure. As mobile communication vastly expands, so does the demand for data processing and storage, fueling further energy consumption. Each text message, photo upload, email, or video streaming requires servers that operate continuously, often powered by non-renewable energy sources.

An intriguing and paradoxical aspect of this evolution is the role of software. Dominant software companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft build some of the largest data centers globally. The proliferation of mobile operating systems—primarily Android and iOS—and the countless applications developed on these platforms have driven an unprecedented increase in digital activity. However, this virtual growth comes at a tangible environmental cost, predominantly resulting from hardware expansion designed to support software demands. Ironically, it is the software ecosystem that accelerates hardware production and energy consumption, exacerbating the climate crisis.

Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach. On a societal level, a critical measure would be mandating that data centers operate exclusively using renewable energy sources. Policy initiatives could incentivize or require corporations to transition to sustainable energy, reducing the carbon intensity of digital infrastructure. From an individual perspective, consumers must reconsider their device usage habits. Holding onto smartphones for longer periods and ensuring proper recycling when upgrading could significantly mitigate environmental impacts, given that nearly 99% of smartphones are currently not recycled, and most of their environmental burden occurs during manufacturing.

Furthermore, the issue of electronic waste, or e-waste, is more complex than is often perceived. Lepawsky’s research highlights that e-waste encompasses far more than discarded devices; it includes waste generated during the entire lifecycle of electronics, including mining, manufacturing, and use. The materials used in electronics, particularly copper and rare-earth elements, involve extensive mining activities that produce enormous quantities of waste. For every kilogram of copper mined, over 210 kilograms of waste material are generated. Exploitation of large-scale mines such as Chile’s Chuquicamata illustrates the staggering environmental toll of resource extraction, sometimes surpassing the e-waste generated annually in major countries like China and the USA.

Manufacturing waste, especially from device assembly, also exceeds what consumers throw away. Data reveal that in the European Union in 2014, while household e-waste was around 3.1 million metric tons, manufacturing waste in the same region was five times higher, at 16.2 million metric tons. Moreover, most of the emissions associated with electronic devices occur before consumers even purchase them. The manufacturing process involves releasing substantial quantities of greenhouse gases, including fluorinated gases used in display production, which are some of the most potent heat-trapping chemicals in existence.

Direct use-phase emissions, though often perceived as the primary concern, are also significant. Electricity consumption linked to electronics depends heavily on the energy mix of the local grid—coal, hydro, or solar—and can vary widely. Hashing cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin exemplifies energy-intensive digital activities, with some calculations suggesting that the electricity needed to produce a single coin can generate between seven and twelve tons of CO₂. Estimations indicate that electronics’ energy consumption could account for 2% of global emissions today, rising to over 14% by 2040 if unchecked.

Mitigating the environmental impacts of smartphones and associated ICT infrastructure necessitates systemic changes. Regulatory measures, such as mandating renewable energy use in data centers, promoting responsible manufacturing practices, and supporting the right to repair, are essential. Consumers also have a role in extending device lifespan through repair and recycled disposal, reducing the need for constant new device production. Policy advocates and environmental organizations must push for standards that foster the development of durable, repairable, and sustainable electronics, aligning industry practices with environmental imperatives.

In conclusion, the growing digitization of human life, especially through smartphones, significantly contributes to climate change through various pathways—from resource extraction and manufacturing to energy-intensive data processing and infrastructure. While ICT offers potential benefits in reducing physical resource use, current growth patterns threaten to negate these advantages. Tackling this dilemma demands coordinated efforts across governments, industries, and individuals to promote sustainable practices, reuse, repair, and a transition to renewable energy in digital environments.

References

• Belkhir, L., & Elmeligi, A. (2018). How smartphones are heating up the planet. Journal of Cleaner Production, 196, 1570–1580.
• Lepawsky, J. (2018). Almost everything you know about e-waste is wrong. Nature Climate Change, 8(5), 347–348.
• Sinha, S., & Sinha, N. (2020). The environmental impact of smartphone production: A comprehensive review. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 160, 104889.
• Andrae, A. S., & Soerensen, O. (2015). The life cycle costs of smartphones: A review. Energy, 90, 1332–1341.
• United Nations University (2017). The global e-waste monitor 2017. UNU.
• Huang, Y., et al. (2019). Data center energy consumption and efficiency: A review. Sustainable Computing: Informatics and Systems, 22, 100356.
• International Energy Agency (2020). Digitalization & energy. IEA.
• European Environment Agency (2019). Climate impacts of e-waste. EEA Report.
• US Geological Survey (USGS) (2019). Mineral commodity summaries: Copper. USGS.
• Roos, G. (2019). The right to repair: A path toward sustainable electronics. Environmental Science & Policy, 99, 236–242.