Mobile phones are already acknowledged for the transformative effect they are having in developing countries, providing the channel to deliver banking, education and healthcare in places where there is no physical infrastructure for these services.

Now, mobiles are being touted as a critical tool in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This can happen in a number of ways, according to a thoughtful report from the mobile telephone industry group GSMA, entitled ‘Mobile’s Green Manifesto’. http://www.gsmworld.com/newsroom/press-releases/2009/4193.htm

In future the mobile phone will allow consumers and businesses to control their carbon footprint, giving them the means to monitor power consumption in real time, using smart metering and embedded devices to send status reports to mobile phones.

But, says the GSMA, standards are needed for this promise to be realised, and it pledges that in the next 12 – 24 months it will develop a standard mechanism for measuring emissions from all energy sources under the control of mobile operators. The Association also commits its members to reduce green house gas emissions per mobile connection by 40 per cent by 2020, compared to 2009. (Though note, in the same time the number of mobiles will rise by 70 percent to 8 billion).

For now – the reality is still some way short of the hype. It may be possible for the technologically canny and green-minded few to turn their home heating off and on via their mobiles. But the potential that mobiles and embedded devices hold to optimise energy use is very far from being realised.

So let’s hope the GSMA delivers on the promises it makes in this report.