The International Telecommunication Union, which is part of the United Nations organisation, has approved the move towards an energy-efficient universal mobile phone charger. It’s following the guidance of the GSMA in favouring the microUSB connector for charging. The ITU points out that an eco-friendly universal charger will dramatically cut the number of chargers produced, shipped and subsequently discarded – and it’ll also mean users worldwide will be able to charge their mobiles anywhere from any available charger. [ITU press release]